Snow Sisters!

The title of Kokias's first picture book describes two contemporary siblings with different approaches to a snow day. The boisterous redhead, who appears on left-hand pages, digs out her winter gear ("Coat. Scarf. Hat. Mittens. Boots") and runs outside to lob snowballs. The composed brunette on the right sets herself up with cocoa, blankets, and books, and later whips up a batch of cookies ("Baking. Making"). Just when readers think they have the sisters pegged, the brunette heads outside, the redhead comes indoors, and the words that appeared in the first half are assigned to the other sister, their order reversed. The girls' distinct personalities still shine: the redhead's "Making" and "Baking" is far less tidy (Mom is seen sweeping up), and the brunette's "Building" and "Throwing" results in a snow castle. The drawings, almost too pretty in the first half, become more captivating and even surprising: how will each sister put her spin on the words? It's a neatly conceived study of two independent sisters who are fully capable of enjoying a day on their own terms. Ages 3-7. Author's agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Nicole Tugeau, Tugeau 2. (Jan.)

PreS-Gr 1--This wintery tale is all about how two very different sisters celebrate a snowy day. The spare text describes each sister's actions such as, "Coat. Scarf. Hat. Mittens. Boots." for the messy redhead and "Cocoa. Blankets. Books." for the more organized brunette. The book details each sibling's day, and the gouache and watercolor illustrations depict each sister's opposing behavior and how they find common ground. One sister sits in the window seat while having a sweet tea party during, "Playing. Spotting." The messy sister jumps on the couch and throws game pieces on the ground during, "Spotting. Playing." This book will be enjoyed as a one-on-one read or with a small group. The detailed illustrations elevate this winter book above most. VERDICT A first purchase for libraries in snowy climates, or for those looking to add more books to their sibling shelves.--Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, WI