Ten Ways to Hear Snow

Luminous aquatint-like views of snow-covered neighborhood streets by Pak (Maud and Grand-Maud) contribute serenity to this story about senses and perception. A blizzard has ended, and Lina heads to visit her grandmother, Sitti. As she considers Sitti’s diminishing eyesight en route, Lina realizes that snow is not just seen, but heard, and starts to list its different sounds: the “scraaape scrip” of a snow shovel, the “ploompf” of snow dislodged by a bluejay, the “drip, drip” of mittens drying. At Sitti’s apartment, the two make warak enab (grape leaves stuffed with rice and lamb), assembling the rolls and joking as they go: “Mine looks like a mustache!” Lina says, holding a roll under her nose. How does Sitti knows that it has snowed? “Each morning I open the window and listen,” Sitti tells the girl, and her sharp hearing supplies the final item on Lina’s list. Deliberately paced, peppered with sound words, and centered around a close-knit family’s routines and meals, this story by Camper (the Lowriders in Space series) is just right for winter reading. Ages 4–8. [em](Oct.) [/em]