The Snowman and the Snowdog

Fans of Raymond Briggs’s classic wordless picture book The Snowman (1978) and the subsequent animated film (1982) can again take flight in that wintry, whimsical world via this print adaptation of an author-sanctioned animated short film that was produced in 2012. The action picks up many years after the initial snowman came to life and soared with his young companion through the night sky: a boy named Billy finds an old photograph of the original snowman, as well as a box containing his signature hat and scarf. Billy crafts a new snowman, along with a small snow dog who takes him on his own magical adventure, which includes a ski race, an encounter with Santa, and the granting of Billy’s wish for a real dog. The soft edges and loose lines of the illustrations pay homage to Briggs’s original artwork. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)