The Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold and The Snowy Day

New and Fabulous

The Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen looks at winter from the perspective of animals: small mammals, snakes and, yes, winter bees, among others. The language is luscious. Lines such as “Ambling through the hoary crystals, thinking of how I love this powdery place between iron-hard ground and snow-crust ceiling.” Recommended for Kindergarten – 4th grade.

Oldie but Goodie

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic. As I sit here on this unseasonably warm December night, thinking about this story, I wax nostalgic for snow and childhood vacations when time went by so slowly and the outside world was covered in a thick white blanket. The text is spare and quiet. Cuddle up and read with a child you love. Pegged for Preschool-Kindergarten. A deserving Caldecott award winner.