This is one of my favorite winter solstice scenes.
It's what I experience as I step outside of my dad's front door in WI; I've actually taken this shot several times over the years and this Heather Wolf wisdom complements it perfectly.
Kindness, like that snow, beautifully blankets everything.
I received this kindness in yesterday's mail, from Tanya in Montana. After I pitched the idea that her students could create Cheer Cards to attach to Meals on Wheels deliveries, she took the idea and ran with it, bringing a kindness collaboration back like a boomerang, to me. So, I'm going to write a little note of my own on the left-hand side of the card and put a Calm Strip sticker inside to share on my next Route 1 delivery.
Author: Alice Hemming
Illustrator: Nicola Slater
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Birth date: September 3, 2024
Suitable for: ages 4-8
Themes: friendship, change, seasons
Brief synopsis: When the snow falls, Squirrel summons bird to help him try to figure it out. Where's his grass? Where are his coveted hazelnuts? What are these cold, white balls flying around?
Opening page:
"GASP! Where has all the green grass gone, Bird?
Why is it so white and cold?"
"The grass hasn't gone anywhere, Squirrel. Snow fell from the sky and covered it all up."
"But why, Bird? WHY?"
Resources: Watch a read-aloud {here}.
Read a Kirkus review {here}.
Download an Activity Packet {here}.
Find Story Map Multi-Leveled Lessons {here}.
Try these Snow Day Activities {here}.
Why I like this book: Squirrel is such a likable storybook character; his sidekick and friend, Bird, is a role-model friend. Together they are discovering the beauty of change as Bird works to understand Squirrel's feelings about Mother Nature and help him adapt to her seasonal shifts. Compare and contrast it to The Leaf Thief.
Then use it to talk through feelings:
Have they ever felt stymied by a change they didn't understand?
Who was there to help them? What was that experience like?
Look for alliteration, onomatopoeia, and other literary elements.
Then ask your students to predict the title of the next book in this series and write about Squirrel's emotional journey as winter turns to spring. For fun, play a few songs from pianist George Winston from his album Winter Into Spring while they're writing.
Now off you go to check out today's other PPBF picks.
Happy weekend, dear reader; I'm grateful for you.
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