It's Snowing

Did you know Helsinki, Finland gets about 101 days of snow a
year? Did you know there's a mountain within sight of the Equator
that always has snow or ice on top of it? Can you believe that
Antarctica is the continent that gets the least amount of snow? I got
those cool (oops--bad pun) facts from Gail Gibbons' It's Snowing.
Yes, I'm talking snow. For me the word conjures up delightful
prospects: sledding, snow sculptures, hot cocoa with whipped cream on
a crisp, cold evening, unexpected no school days, seeing if I can
ambush Darcie or Christine with a few snowballs... The hubby takes a
dimmer view, anticipating bad driving conditions and all that stuff to
shovel. (He plays Oscar to my Elmo on a lot of stuff).
Whatever side you fall on on this precip issue, you can't deny
that the white stuff is on the way. This means it's the perfect time
to share It's Snowing with your favorite young people. You can learn
the science behind the formation of those beautiful flakes, the
subtleties of meteorological conditions ranging from flurry to
blizzard, ways to prepare for snow and enjoy it, and more of those
fascinating facts. Can you wrap your mind around a 15" snowflake, a
50' snow drift, or 6'4" of the white stuff falling in one day--in
April no less? Of course the well organized and engaging text is
complimented by lively, colorful illustrations.
In the world of juvenile non fiction my girl, Gail (first
reviewed her books in the 1990's) is nothing less than a goddess. Her
topics range from frogs to bicycles to stars and beyond. I can't
imagine a subject she couldn't make fascinating for the younger
readers in our lives.
On a personal note, I used some of my birthday money to buy a
beautiful snow globe with a carousel horse. I had it inscribed
"kindred spirits" to honor the best friends a girl could have who care
about me unconditionally.
A great big shout out goes out to the best friends a girl could have.
Julia Emily Hathaway

Sent from my iPod