Review - Snow Song

Snow Song
by A. K. Riley
illustrated by Dawn Lo
Date: 2020
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

An enchanting story told in rhythmic free verse of a young girl exploring the world on a wintry, snow-filled day. This beautiful picture book uses rhythmic and sensory free verse to tell the story of a young girl exploring the outdoors on a wintry day. Everywhere she goes, the snow fills her with wonder and delight. There are fine pearls of snow, a twirl of snow, a curl of snow. The sky unravels into snow, the pond lathers up with snow, the hills are knitted caps of snow. All she encounters is framed by the snow. It captivates her, swaddles her world, and makes everything snug --- from first light, to the darkness of bedtime. A. K. Riley has crafted an evocative and playful ode to the winter snow that perfectly captures the magic of a winter's day for a child. The verse alternates from slow to fast, deftly playing with pace and sure to keep readers engaged. Dawn Lo's fresh illustrations create a charming visual narrative of snow-filled scenes filled with joy. With a simultaneously classic and contemporary feel, this enchanting read-aloud is perfect for a winter-themed story time, a discussion of poetry, or a classroom unit on the seasons. It also touchingly explores ideas of how communities and friendships are enhanced through shared experiences.

(synopsis from NetGalley; see it on Goodreads)

Snow Song features a simple (perhaps too simple) narrative and playful pictures to show a young girl's fun on a snowy day.

While I do think this book will have an audience, I personally found the writing to be terribly grating. If I have to read the word "snow" one more time, I might scream. (It's repeated so often that it runs the risk of losing meaning and sounding like a nonsense syllable.) There are some nice words used in the descriptions of the snow, but I just felt that that one noun was used far too much.

The pictures are fun and show lots of joy and exuberance. Kids will likely enjoy looking at them on their own.

Overall, this book wasn't a good match for me, but I can see it appealing to other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.57 out of 5