"Yawn./ Hug the pillow./ A cozy, curled lump in the quilt./ Mama whispers, 'Snow day, child.'/ The quilt bursts open./ Is it.../ Could it.../ Would it be?" To a child, perhaps no two words inspire greater joy than Plourde's (Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud) titular phrase. For the family—freed from school, released from work and not tethered to the television set—the day is defined by its events. They eat "plumpy pumpkin muffins" on a "yummy snow day"; watch the "wild, whirling wind" on a "fierce snow day"; and enjoy "checkers and chuckles" on a "playful snow day." Plourde's snappy verse, with its brief phrases and effective use of onomatopoeia, convey the active pace from wake-up to wind-down. Takahashi's (Beach Play) bold acrylics feature the wide-eyed, exuberant brother and sister in crisp winter landscapes and cozy scenes by the hearth. Ages 3-6. (Nov.)
