Snowflakes Fall

PreS-Gr 3--A gentle picture book created as tribute to the victims of the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In his dedication, Kellogg expresses his hope that this book "celebrates the laughter, the playful high spirits, and the uniqueness of the children of Sandy Hook and of children everywhere." And indeed, the image of falling snowflakes-"Flake/After flake/After flake/Each one a pattern/All its own-/No two the same-/All beautiful"-makes an affecting metaphor. MacLachlan's lyrical and understated poem describes snowflakes swirling "together/Like the voices of children" to blanket backyards and sleeping gardens, rolling countryside, and the town's familiar sites. Though a nighttime storm may bring shadows that "darken dreams," morning always comes again, revealing a shining world and the opportunity to play outdoors. In springtime, "when the flowers bloom/The children remember the snowflakes/And we remember the children-/No two the same-/All beautiful." Throughout, Kellogg's paintings dazzle with brightly clad kids joyfully romping through winter scenes. As flowers bloom, some of the youngsters dance into a still-snowy sky, and the back endpaper shows a row of 20 snow angels taking flight from a moonlit hillside and soaring into the heavens. Accentuating the rebirth found in nature's cycle, text and images depict the process of healing and renewal, the comfort of memory, and the power of hope. Adults can share this book to address tragic events, discuss grief and the recovery process, and remind children of the precious beauty of life.--Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

In tribute to the lives lost in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, acclaimed author and artist MacLachlan and Kellogg collaborate on a book that celebrates "the laughter, the playful high spirits, and the uniqueness of the children of Sandy Hook and of children everywhere," as Kellogg explains in his dedication. The text unfolds as a continuous verse, emphasizing renewal while drawing a comparison between the singularity of a snowflake and that of a child: "After the flowers are gone/ Snowflakes fall./ Flake/ After flake/ After flake/ Each one a pattern/ All its own--/ No two the same--/ All beautiful." Rosy-cheeked children and rowdy pet dogs cavort through the snowy wonderland of Kellogg's paintings, which give way to rainy spring scenes "Where soon/ Flowers will grow/ Again." The most direct allusion to the tragedy comes in two scenes picturing "fields of snow angels," a somber metaphor for the children killed. It's a potent reminder of the ephemeral nature of childhood and of the joys contained within those fleeting years. Ages 3-7. Agent: Rubin Pfeffer, East West Literary Agency. (Oct.)