Snow Song

“Fine pearls of snow” begin falling on a residential street that’s awash in gentle pastel hues as a dark-haired, beige-skinned child sits on a stoop beside moving boxes. The subsequent spread shows the same kid, clad in a chartreuse puffer coat, trekking through trees: “Through black thread trees/ Swirls the snow./ The winter wind/ Unfurls the snow—.” As the snow begins to cap buildings, the child encounters other bundled children in colorful coats, ice skating and pulling sleds behind them, and park benches turn shields amid a snowball fight. Lo’s spreads, rendered in gouache and pencil crayon, as well as digitally, evoke Mary Blair’s illustrations, with simple faces, soft-edged lines, and shifting angles that immerse readers in the child’s perspective. Riley’s evocative free verse effectively reflects the joy of the children, depicted with different skin tones and hair colors, as they frolic across a wintry cityscape in this playful ode to winter fun. Ages 3–7. [em](Oct.) [/em]