Emmett's Snowball

Miller and Guevara make their picture book debuts with this lighthearted story about a snowball that--well, snowballs. Thrilled when an overnight storm leaves enough snow on the ground to cancel school, round-faced, bespectacled Emmett dashes outside to play. He makes a snowball and rolls it around his yard until it is half as tall as he is. As Emmett's best friend, Sarah, and her older brother help the boy push the snowball into the park, it becomes enormous. But when it rolls down the hill into town and blocks the back entrance of Mr. Wetzel's candy store, the proprietor is not amused. The giant snowball is finally laid to rest in the town square, and Emmett and Sarah become local celebrities. Guevara's pictures are as droll as Miller's puckish story, which concludes with Emmett making big plans for next winter. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)