Children love snow. The child in you will always love snow, no matter how scared of and opposed to the cold and the dirt and the dampness you will turn into as the time passes. It´s the fascination with the snowflakes raining down from the sky, or with the white powder covering everthing you discover with excitement one morning. Children will rarely ask about the natural causes of the snow, will just enjoy the phenomenon as much as possible. A winter without snow is a sad winter for the children and a missed opportunity of enjoying one of the most beautiful natural phenomena.
Designed for preschool children - 3 to 5 years - The Dance of the Snow Tractors by Siena, illustrated by the Canadian computer artist Shannon Wilvers offers a different take on winter. The focus is on Siena, a girl living in Canada, named after the Italian city, watching in excitement the snow tractors dancing around while removing the snow. I haven´t figured out about the visual strength of the image. But it is described in such a simple yet outstanding way that one can only wait for the next summer and a good amount of snow in order to be sure that there will be enough snow tractors for a proper dance.
The book is a good choice for both parents and educators and it can create a lot of opportunities for further discussions - about snow, tractors, dancing; there are no limits for the imagination. The language is simple while based on the basic vocabulary of a preschool child. I was not necessarily impressed by the illustrations but nevertheless it appeals to the visual habits of a child at this age.
Very often, we forget how does it feel to be in a state of wondering. Having chidlren often does not help because we may be busy, as parents, to support our little ones emotionally and financially. Reading such books to them though may be helpful to bring us back in time and revive those unique feelings. Feelings bringing back those precious childhood memories.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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