Simon and the Snowflakes

Simon loves to count, so when the first snow comes, he runs outside. But he meets the uncountable. Snowflakes fly about and come down too fast for counting. A snowman says there are as many snowflakes as there are stars in the sky, so Simon gets a ladder and plucks down stars to fill his toboggan. But the stars move across the sky, and elude him, too. The moon tells him there are as many stars in the sky as there are lights in the city. He takes his sled downhill to the city and tries counting lights, but they wink on and off. At last he goes to the forest to meet his friends (deer, rabbit, birds are pictured, and Simon bears gifts. A decked tree shines.) ``Some things I can count,'' he concludes, and the poetic implication is that he can ``count on'' friends. It's an affecting theme of trust, complemented by watercolors of soft, puddled colors against striking stylized backgrounds. Simon will amuse readers with his attempts to count the impossible. However, the story is more arch than poetic and readers may find that the lofty concerns of the story don't compensate for the meandering plot. Ages 3-up. (Oct.)