The Snow Man: A True Story

A quiet, necessary consideration of how a single person can make an impact with patient observation.

K-Gr 3--This quiet true story follows the life of a young man who lived alone in a remote cabin at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. He came for solitude and to be near nature, but over time he began to record his observations of how much snow fell, when the first snow occurred, and when the first spring blossoms appeared. Decades passed with him continuing to record his notes until he noticed something interesting. There was less snow each year, and it arrived later and melted sooner. He brought his notes to a local scientist who was studying climate change. The scientist was amazed at the massive amount of data recorded over the years to show how long and at what rate the climate has been changing. His findings were invaluable for climate research. This book is a great addition to nature units dealing with climate change as well as biography units showing how one person can make a difference in the world. Jonah Winter's text is written with short sentences and accessible vocabulary for young readers. Jeanette Winter's bright and recognizable illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. VERDICT There are not many books about the science of climate change for younger readers; this is an excellent addition to all collections introducing this important topic to the primary grades.--Heidi Dechief