Our apple and pear trees are dripping, their branches pulled low to the ground with fruit. Happy jars of salsa sit on shelves, waiting to be joined by yellow applesauce and sorrel hued apple butter, creamy white pear butter and juicy halves floating in their own syrup. I'm learning as I go, missing my mama every step of the way, but it is yet another joyous time that must be experienced before the snow trees grow...
When Will the Snow Trees Grow?
By Ben Shecter
In this warm, evocative *conversation*, a boy asks his friendly bear companion the question, When will the snow trees grow?
And the bear answers with word pictures that evoke the sweetest memories... When the warm quilts are taken from the closet, along with the sweaters and coats...
When cold lemonade doesn't taste as sweet... (did you ever think about that, dear reader? It really doesn't! Our tastes run to spices and warmth and chocolate...)
When the pumpkins are turned to pie, and when the leaves fall upon the ground...
The boy breaks in from time to time, and asks his question again... Then will the snow trees grow? Gently, friend-Bear reminds him that there is more to come before he will feel that first frosty flake.
Accompanying the simple conversation are beautiful drawings, warm-colored and old-fashioned with their haylofts and milk pitchers, log-lined barns and dark wallpaper, wood piles and black kettles. Friend-bear wears an apron to cook up pies, and gently holds the boy as he reads to him by the fire.
This is truly a perfect story for a fall day, and, while even older children will appreciate the colors and simplicity, it is the two to five year olds who will smile in quiet understanding of the question and the answers. It is a wonderful opportunity to talk about enjoying the *now* while lying in wait for *then*...
{Ben Shecter illustrated some books for Charlotte Zolotow, another of my favorites, and this book is, in fact, called "A Charlotte Zolotow Book", an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers... no wonder!}
Happy reading!
When Will the Snow Trees Grow?By Ben Shecter
In this warm, evocative *conversation*, a boy asks his friendly bear companion the question, When will the snow trees grow?
And the bear answers with word pictures that evoke the sweetest memories... When the warm quilts are taken from the closet, along with the sweaters and coats...
When cold lemonade doesn't taste as sweet... (did you ever think about that, dear reader? It really doesn't! Our tastes run to spices and warmth and chocolate...)
When the pumpkins are turned to pie, and when the leaves fall upon the ground...
The boy breaks in from time to time, and asks his question again... Then will the snow trees grow? Gently, friend-Bear reminds him that there is more to come before he will feel that first frosty flake.
Accompanying the simple conversation are beautiful drawings, warm-colored and old-fashioned with their haylofts and milk pitchers, log-lined barns and dark wallpaper, wood piles and black kettles. Friend-bear wears an apron to cook up pies, and gently holds the boy as he reads to him by the fire.
This is truly a perfect story for a fall day, and, while even older children will appreciate the colors and simplicity, it is the two to five year olds who will smile in quiet understanding of the question and the answers. It is a wonderful opportunity to talk about enjoying the *now* while lying in wait for *then*...
{Ben Shecter illustrated some books for Charlotte Zolotow, another of my favorites, and this book is, in fact, called "A Charlotte Zolotow Book", an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers... no wonder!}
Happy reading!
3 fellow travelers shared:
This sounds like a treasure of a book! I'm adding it to my ever-growing Amazon booklist. Thanks!
http://minivanlife.wordpress.com
Great! I love your "maps" post, the "invitation" and...so much more! Mary Brooke
This is one of my very favorite books to read to my children. I pull it out every year. I'm going to do a October book list and wanted to include it. You did a beautiful job presenting it!
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