It’s a winter wonderland today in Maryland with the first snow of 2019! I can’t think of a better time to share First Snow written by Nancy Viau and illustrated by Talitha Shipman, the perfect picture book to reading on a snowy day. Special thanks to Albert Whitman & Company and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When I first looked at the cover, I was immediately smitten with the beagle that joins in on the snow fun. As I previewed the picture book, I was even more excited to see the sweet pup is on every single spread!
First Snow is a delightful picture book that celebrates the joy of the first snow of the season. A brother and his little sister look out the window to see snow falling. The children waste no time putting on their snow gear and head outside to join their neighborhood friends to play in the wintry wonderland. The beagle follows along to frolic in the snow!
Written in rhyme with concise text, the story is a sheer pleasure to read aloud. Young readers are also exposed to rich words and phrases such as scurry, frisky, weary, and strike a pose expanding their oral vocabulary. The colorful and lively illustrations warmly convey the excitement of the children as they go sledding, make snowmen and snow angels and of course, engage in a friendly snowball fight.
What I love most about First Snow is the genuine kindness and care that the brother demonstrates toward his little sister throughout the day ending with a bedtime story. And the icing on the cake is the beagle quietly listens to the read aloud and then joins the sleepy children to dream about more snow!
Publisher’s Summary:
Snowflakes falling! What a treat! Friends gather outside to celebrate the first snowfall of the season with snowball fights, sledding, building igloos, drinking hot chocolate, and making the most of a windy, wintry day. With rhyming text and cheerful illustrations, this is a charming celebration of the winter season.
Nancy Viau first fell in love with snow one wintry day after a huge snow storm left a drift so high that her brothers had to dig a tunnel out the back door. Today, Nancy plays in the snow with snowshoes or skis attached to her feet. She is the author of five picture books including City Street Beat and Storm Song, along with the middle-grade novels Beauty and Bernice and Just One Thing! She lives in New Jersey. Visit her website at http://www.nancyviau.com
Talitha Shipman has always loved the snow especially the kind that sparkles like diamonds. She graduated with an MFA in illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008. She’s illustrated several books, including You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie, Everybody Says Shalom, and Applesauce Day. Talitha lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter, and dog. Find her online at http://www.talithashipman.com
Beagles & Books 
I would some day like to write about my first time experiencing snow in the true sense of the word for the first time. I have an album full of pictures of my experience with snow for the first time ever. However, am not a writer. Never have written.
Having seen your book on fb has given me the thought that I. would like to share my experience about snow.
LikeLike