Horn Book Review
This book puts a frosty twist on the classic tune "If You're Happy and You Know It." Bouncy rhyming verses, perfectly matched to the song's rhythm, roll out as arctic friends, from polar bear to beluga whale, slide, ski, skate, and build a fort in the snow and ice. Mixed-media illustrations extend the text with silly details (e.g., a sunbathing moose). (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A wintry riff on the popular participation song, with a cast of appropriate cold-climate animals. A rabbit in sunglasses slides down a snowy hill, using a polar bear pal as a sled. Penguin, walrus, fox and others look on approvingly. The text faithfully follows the rhythms of the song as these characters frolic. "If your fur is full of flurries, taste a flake" shows the walrus making snow angels while the wolf and bighorn sheep skate neat figure eights around him. "If it's shimmery and sunny, sculpt a friend" features almost all the animals making snow animals. (The moose is sunning in a chair with a reflector.) They also build a fort, blow a kiss, give a roar and share a meal ("If it's starry and you're starving..."). Everyone shares a cave at the end of the day: "If it's sleeting and you're sleepy, climb in bed." It's like a big pajama party. In their sleep, all dream of more exciting fun they can have tomorrow. Norman's solid variations on the preschool song are completely singer-friendly, supported by Woodruff's crisply drawn, smiling animals, in watercolor, colored pencil and pastel. Consistently entertaining and engaging. All together now! (Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
