A Snow Day for Plum!: An Award-Winning Middle Grade Humor Adventure About Zoo Animals and Friendship for Children

by Matt Phelan

“Lively fun with animal friends.”— Kirkus Reviews The animals of the Athensville Zoo are thrilled to be visiting a local school to star in a presentation—everyone except for a very nervous peacock named Plum. And then an unexpected blizzard strands the animals at the elementary school overnight—yikes! From award-winning author Matt Phelan, creator of Knights vs. Dinosaurs and its two sequels, this companion to Leave It to Plum! is a highly illustrated young middle grade novel perfect for reluctant readers and animal lovers everywhere. The animals of the Athensville Zoo are going to school! Lizzie the zookeeper has Plum the peacock and his friends loaded in the zoo van to travel to a nearby elementary school to give a presentation. Most of the animals are excited—especially Itch, who has always wanted to share his knowledge with the world. But Plum is nervous. What if he doesn’t like school? What if the students don’t like him? What if he messes up the whole presentation? Then an unexpected blizzard derails the whole trip, and Plum and his friends have to stay overnight in the empty school. They’ll meet new friends, such as the classroom mice who rule the school, and the wise old turtle who supervises the library. And when Itch gets himself into a whole snowdrift of trouble, Plum overcomes his nerves to save the day! With short chapters and humorous black-and-white art throughout, award-winning author-artist Matt Phelan’s young middle grade novels about bighearted Plum the peacock and the Athensville Zoo are just right for newly independent readers. The Plum books are fun and funny adventures that tackle relatable emotional themes such as performance anxiety and being a good friend. A Snow Day for Plum! continues the hilarious adventures of the young peacock with a big heart and the small mammal with a big ego. A Snow Day for Plum! is perfect for fans of the Princess in Black and the Mercy Watson series.

Genres: Animals, Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Friendship, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

Matt Phelan made his illustrating debut with Betty G. Birney’s The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster). Since then he has illustrated many picture books and novels for young readers, including Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli (Dial), Very Hairy Bear by Alice Schertle (Harcourt), and The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Simon & Schuster) winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal.

Matt studied film and theater in college with the goal of one day writing and directing movies. But his first love was always drawing, and the more he saw the wonderful world of children’s books, the more he realized that this was the place for him. Being an illustrator is in many ways like being an actor, director, cinematographer, costumer, and set designer rolled into one.

Matt writes: “I have a fascination with the decade of the 1930s. The movies were learning to talk (and in the case of King Kong, growl), the music was beginning to swing, and the nation was thrown into tremendous turmoil. On one hand, you see a level of suffering documented in the dramatic and gritty photography of Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans. On the other hand, consider what the American public was flocking to see in the movie theaters: the glamour and grace of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in a series of perfect musicals. For my first book as both writer and illustrator (coming in 2009 by Candlewick Press), I naturally gravitated to this complex decade, specifically the strange world of the Dust Bowl.”

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Plum the peacock sat still and quiet. He was usually pretty peppy. His friends at the Athensville Zoo would say he was cheerful and chatty. But this morning, Plum did not feel like his usual peppy, cheerful, chatty self. Plum felt a little bit—just a little bit—scared.

Premise/plot: A handful of zoo animals--including Plum--are on their way to a local school for a presentation. The good news: they arrive at the school safely. The bad news: an unexpected snow storm leads to school--and the presentation--being canceled. The good news: there are friendly school mice to let the animals out of their cages. The bad news: Things get VERY hectic throughout the day. Plenty of misadventures and adventures occur when the animals are essentially running amok throughout the school without human supervision....

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the first book in the series, Leave It To Plum. I thought it was such a fun animal fantasy. This sequel is all kinds of fun. I liked revisiting Plum. Plum is out of his element in this one. The school is not at all like Athensville Zoo where he (and the other peacocks) are ambassadors. The book was so entertaining. It was just a hoot. I didn't know how much I needed a sequel to Leave It To Plum.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about animals from the Athensville Zoo that are headed for a school visit when a snowstorm hits. They must spend the night at the school while their keeper spends the night in a hotel. But three mice help them escape from their cage so they can go exploring. Plum, the peacock, would rather stay behind in safety. Meg, the other peacock, goes with the mice to explore the stage. Itch, the ningbing, heads to the library to meet the professor (a turtle) and Jeremy (cat) and Kevin (elephant shrew) take off to explore. Reluctantly, Plum follows, but they are soon lost. How will they ever find their way back.

Good for early chapter book readers.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Leave it to Plum. Easy to read the story of Plum the Peacock, a shrew, a parrot, and a ningbing- zoo animals riding to an elementary school for a program. But the school is closed for a snow day, so the animals stay in a warm room overnight. Their adventures are interesting with them dancing, wandering the school, and looking for things to do.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute enough animal story, but not one of Phelan's best.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Plum the peacock and a few of his friends are scheduled for a school visit but unfortunately it turns into a snow day and with the help of some classroom mice, the zoo friends explore the school

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number 2 in the beginning chapter book series about Plum (#1 is Leave it to Plum!), it is full of just as much fun, mischief, and trepidation – just right for this age group.

Plum and several of his zoo friends are headed to an elementary school for a visit. When they arrive, they learn the school is closed, the students have been sent home, and the animals will stay in the gym for the night. Once the people have gone, the classroom animals come to visit with the zoo animals, having a wonderful night. Black line drawings are found throughout, helping readers cross the bridge from picture books to chapter fiction. Another wonderful visit with our friends from the zoo.

Recommended for grades PreS-3.