Uri Shulevitz won a Caldecott Medal for his illustrated edition of Arthur Ransome's The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, and has won numerous other awards for illustrating his own books. Not surprising then, that he'd create such a lovely book as Snow, a touching story about childish hope, grumpy pessimistic grown-ups, and the wonder of snowfall. Will the snow come? (Oh, please?) In the first scene there is none, but the second has--if you can find it--a single flake. Then there are more--but they melt...And then, finally...joy! These are for a children's book: so many illustrators try to out-do each other with lurid effects and excessive brightness, but many of Shulevitz's exquisite panels are close to monotone. He paints whole cityscapes in a dozen shades of grey, with small human figures who you notice (at second glance) have coats of grey-green, grey-blue, or grey-brown. The adults have tiny Edwardian parasols or handlebar moustaches. The abstract, atmospheric, folk-tale effect is heightened by a pared-to-the-bone text, just a few words per page. "'It's nothing,' said man with hat. Then three snowflakes. 'It's snowing,' said boy with dog." Snow perfectly captures the transformative nature of snow and the result is magical. (Ages 3 to 6) --Richard Farr

Genre: Fiction (Childrens)