Author: Karma Wilson (Author) , Jane Chapman (Illustrator)

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Pub. in: January, 2002

ISBN: 0689831870

Pages: 40

Measurements: 11.3 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BC00369

Other information: 1st ed edition
ISBN-13: 978-0689831874

New York Times bestseller

"In a cave in the woods,
in his deep, dark lair,
through the long, cold winter
sleeps a great brown bear."

Thus begins the story of a very drowsy bear, set against the backdrop of blizzard-like conditions brewing about outside his cozy, warm nook. The bear in this tale does one thing, and one thing only - he sleeps. Never mind that a fierce snowstorm is raging just a few feet away outside his lair. Nothing can awaken this bear while he's deep into hibernation.

"An itty-bitty mouse,
pitter-pat, tip-toe,
creep-crawls in the cave
from the fluff-cold snow."

But the great brown bear now has company. Although very small, the mouse deems the bear's sleeping quarters, "Too damp, too dank, too dark." So, because he's a most resourceful little mouse, he sets about lighting up his own tiny bonfire to warm himself from the bitter-frigid temperatures overtaking the woods. Despite the light from the fire illuminating the cave with a golden glow, the bear snores on.

"Two gleaming eyes
sneak-peek in the den.
Mouse cries, 'Who's there?'
and a hare hops in."

As it turns out, the mouse and the hare are old friends. And it's been a long time since they've seen one another. So the mouse and the hare enjoy each other's company, popping white corn and brewing black tea. Yet, despite the mouse's wee slurps and the hare's big burps, the bear, incredibly, still snores on.

Eventually, this small gathering turns into a rather ample party. No less than a badger, gopher, mole, raven, and a wren join the festivities, all seeking shelter from the blizzard. Pretty soon, all the respective animals invading the bear's humble abode are dancing about, seasoning the stew, and just generally causing a scene. And that's the recipe for disaster. Because all that racket stirs the bear from his peaceful slumber.

And when he wakes up, he Wakes Up.

The rhyming is beautifully done with clever word choices. If you are not a good story teller, this book sort of helps you out. Flip through the pages and you'll see that some of the letters are capitalized. It gives you the cue that you should emphasize on that part. Someone with great talent in story telling should not feel that your style is being constrained by these cues. Ignore them by all means because the fun part when reading a picture book out loud is when you can express the words in your own style.

Published in 2002, author Karma Wilson and illustrator Jane Chapman have crafted a wonderful book. Wilson's writing is bouncy and buoyant, just begging to be read aloud. And Chapman does an excellent job with the illustrations, striking a clear contrast between the stark conditions of the snowstorm (harsh blues, blacks and whites) with the cozy conditions of the bear's cave (warm browns, oranges and yellows).
- From quoting a reader

Target readers: Kids aged 0-6

Better with The Snowy Day :

			2 Buy with : ¥ 256.00
			Quantity:  +112345678910