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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Waiting For Snow, written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by Renata Liwska. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Raincoast. 2016. $20.99 ages 2 and up

"My granny says a snow
dance will bring snow,"
said Vole. "But it has to
be a special dance, danced
with good friends." They
stomped and rocked. They
bopped and boogied. They
whirled and swirled. It
was a special dance!"
grumped Badger."

It's winter. Shouldn't there be snow? Badger is upset that there is none. Hedgehog, ever the optimist, allows that snow is sure to come. It might just take its own time to do it. Waiting is a worthwhile pursuit.

Badger feels as I do when my computer doesn't boot up fast enough to please me. He's tired of waiting! So, he pounds loudly on pots and pans, hoping to attract some attention from the sky. What he does attract very quickly is the attention of all his woodland friends - but, no snow.

Rabbit has a helpful idea. Perhaps they should throw small pebbles that will punch holes in the clouds. You can surely anticipate what happens next. Badger is disconsolate. No matter what Hedgehog suggests as likely to happen, Badger is unconvinced. That leaves it to his other animal friends to offer their own suggestions. Sleeping with his pajamas on backwards sends Badger to bed with high hopes. In the morning, it's snowing! Or is it?

Lovely scenes of the warmth of the indoors and the beauty to be found outside entertain readers with humor and a feeling of hope that Badger's wish will soon come true. There is much to be savored as you share its pages.

Let's leave the final word to the patient and thoughtful Hedgehog:

"Crocuses always bloom in spring, the sun rises every
morning, stars shine every night," said Hedgehog.
"Sometimes they come late and sometimes early,
but they always come, in their time."

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