Snowy, Flowy, Blowy: A Twelve Months Rhyme
Rhyming words describe seasonal changes.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this simple story describes seasonal changes with rhyming words and large, colorful illustrations.
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What's the Story?
Each month of the year is featured in a two-page spread and labeled with a one-word descriptor and the name of the month itself.
Watercolor illustrations tell the details of the story--children are engaged in activities indigenous to regions that experience conspicuous seasonal changes.
Is It Any Good?
The activities convey seasonal warmth and family fun, though the choice of rhyming words is sometimes forced. The outdated word bowery describes the month of June, and the puzzling choice of choppy is used for August. Making tracks in the snow, flying kites, fishing in the pond, swinging from trees in full bloom, and running for the school bus are just some of the ways children and families are represented marking time throughout the year.
The poem is written in italic calligraphy, creating a barrier for young readers. The names of the months are in all capital letters and in different colors, also not helpful for kids tackling the words on their own. The best part of the book is the illustrations. Nancy Tafuri interprets the seasonal changes in two-page spreads, and her watercolors feature stunning creatures looming in the foreground, with a family busily engaged in the background.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the book's descriptive words. Try coming up with a word of your own to describe each month.
Book Details
- Author: Nancy Tafuri
- Illustrator: Nancy Tafuri
- Genre: Poetry
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date: January 1, 1999
- Number of pages: 24
- Last updated: September 23, 2015
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