Summary
Summary
Badger cannot wait one more minute for it to snow. When his friend Hedgehog explains that everything comes in its time, Badger is as unconvinced and impatient as ever. But Badger's friends have a few tricks up their sleeve to try to get the snow's attention and distract their pal in the meantime. In the end, Badger sees there's no trick--only waiting--until at last, it's time.
Author Notes
Marsha Diane Arnold is an award-winning author whose writing has been called engaging and "a guaranteed good time." Visit her website at www.marshadianearnold.com .
New York Times bestseller Renata Liwska lives and works in Calgary, Canada, with her illustrator husband, Mike. Her childhood memories are of growing up in Warsaw, Poland. Visit her website at www.renataliwska.com .
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Five young woodland friends grow impatient in anticipation of a snowfall. Hedgehog, Badger, Rabbit, Vole, and Possum combine efforts to bring on the flakes. Neither banging pots and pans, tossing pebbles at the sky, wearing backward pajamas, nor taking part in an elegant snow dance does the trick. The friends even try to make their own snow, sifting powdered sugar off the roof, but tell themselves that things "always come in their time." After distracting themselves with hopscotch, yo-yos, naps, and paper airplanes, they finally wake after a slumber party to find a field that's perfect for making snowballs. The digitally colored drawings rely on a somewhat dark but textured palette of soft grays, browns, and blues to reflect the season, and Liwska's critters are adorably rounded. Details such as an assortment of hats, including a shower cap for Vole, make merriment to alleviate the tension. VERDICT A super tonic for the winter blahs, suitable for one-on-one and small group sharing.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Badger wants it to snow: it's winter, so it should be snowing. Hedgehog is a creature of faith. "It will snow in snow's time," he tells Badger. "All we have to do is wait." Badger can't wait and, with the help of friends who are ready and willing to support their pal, tries to get it to snow. They throw pebbles at the sky, dance, and put their pajamas on backward, all to no avail. Liwska's (The Quiet Book) gentle, fuzzy drawings, done in the softest browns and the palest blues, offer the comfort of a beloved stuffed toy. Her creatures are free to play and experiment as they wish, and, after they've exhausted every possibility, a collection of vignettes shows the animals learning patience as they find other things to do until, at last, flakes begin to drift down. Using Hedgehog as the even-keeled voice of reason, Arnold (Lost. Found.) suggests that there is something to be said for accepting a situation rather than fighting it. Ages 4-7. Author's agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Quiet, charming, and just plain fun, little ones eager for winter will relate to this story's snow-loving characters. When a collection of animal friends Badger, Hedgehog, Rabbit, Vole, and Possum get impatient for winter to arrive, the various tricks and superstitions they attempt may provoke giggles and smiles among readers. From banging pots and pans to wake up the sky to sleeping with their cozy pajamas on backwards, the friends' frustrations escalate when the stubborn snow still does not fall. Badger in particular is impatient, and the friends band together to give him a sweet surprise they sprinkle sugar over his doorway when he emerges in the morning but it pales in comparison to the real thing. Wise Hedgehog joins in the fun, though he's the lone voice of reason, emphasizing the continuous, cyclical nature of the seasons and the importance of patience. But how long can these friends wait, and when will it snow? Kiddos eager for the changing of seasons will easily find kinship among these antsy woodland creatures in this engaging story perfect for a winter-themed storytime.--Greengoss, Annie Copyright 2016 Booklist