A charming but slight tale about how snow spreads itself across the land. A herd of shaggy-maned, silvery-white, dappled ponies is released from the barn by a white-bearded, smiling Old Man Winter. As the animals frolic through the forests, fields, and roads, the ground turns white beneath their feet and snow swirls around them. The more wildly they play, the stormier it becomes. The other creatures-a fox, songbird, deer, and gray squirrel-shiver and search for shelter as they pass. Finally tiring, the ponies return to the barn where the old man watches them as they nod off to sleep and then stops outside to view the new winter landscape. The double-page, acrylic illustrations are awash in blue, gray, brown, and silver tones that create a haunting, magical atmosphere that allows the fanciful world to come alive. Bold paint strokes capture the sense of the swirling snow, and the ponies themselves will capture the hearts of horse lovers as they leap and rear and swish their tails along the way. The brief text is rich with descriptive phrases of their antics. This book could be used as a starting point for sparking students' imaginations about snow, and the illustrations will definitely attract young equine fans.
by Cynthia Cotten
Jason Cockcroft (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover
32 pages
Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3
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