Little Snowman Stan

In the snowy mountains, Stan and his fellow snowmen have to stand still all winter long. " %E2%80%98But, why?' Little Snowman Stan whispered late one night. %E2%80%98Why aren't snowmen supposed to move?' " Though Snow Soldier, who wears a bucket on his head, warns him that he will melt, Stan doesn't listen. With his purple scarf flapping and his carrot nose raised high, he plays in the moonlight, even riding an abandoned bicycle. He finds another group of laughing and dancing snowmen, who explain that in "Freezeland," snowmen never have to worry about staying still. Other snowmen "are frozen because they have never moved. Or they don't move because they are afraid and prefer to stay in one familiar spot," the wisest snowman, Alfred, explains, laying out the story's message about open-mindedness. Dutch author and artist Genechten uses a palette of steel blues, grays, and weathered greens to create his pristine mountain landscape. The snowmen's thick white paint contains subtle dimensions, while their facial expressions are especially soulful%E2%80%94after all the buildup and standing around, Stan's glee when he finally gets to move is palpable. Ages 3%E2%80%935. (Nov.)