I probably should have read this when we had our snow day yesterday--today it is ICE day and I still can't go out! In any case, I read it a few days ago and while I enjoyed it and can certainly see why the artwork has won such accolades (this was recently named one of the NY Times Ten Best Children's Books of 2009) I was not quite as wowed by it as I thought/hoped I would be. Some of the illustrations (such as the cover art) really touched me, and others were just so-so. Still, I think it's wonderful to expose children to a variety of styles and this is certainly different from most picture books out there. It's also cool because it was originally published in Japan and I love "imports"! ;-) Mostly, though, I think children will just enjoy that it's a story about snow--being home from school but not able to go out in the snow--oh, such a deliciously painful state! It's sweet how the mother and the little rabbit interact, too. The Snow Day is a sweet story about a young bunny who wakes up one morning to discover that he has a snow day from kindergarten. Between making snowballs, playing cards with his mom, and listening to the sound of silently falling snow, he’s waiting for the snow to stop so he can go play outside. The author studied art in Japan and the artistry is apparent in the illustrations, which include muted colors brightened by touches of yellow and red and focuses on the setting of each scene, whether it’s the mom talking to the stranded dad or the mom and son making snow monsters. The story is quiet, capturing the feeling of a snow day perfectly.
What do You think about Jour De Neige (2000)?
A beautiful story that captures the sense of solitude when a city is shut down by snow.
—Muaaz
