Snow Is...

Gehl’s joyous couplets exalt a day of snowy fun, using the titular refrain as springboard. From the “moment you wake” and “stillness/ before the first flake,” energetic lines laud snow’s myriad qualities while describing the play it allows (“Snow is a hoard that is set for attack.// Snow is Dad’s face.../ when a snowball/ goes WHACK!”). Shown with pale skin and black hair, a child protagonist and their father stand out against the steely blues of Sánchez’s digital snowscapes, which are shaded with looping scribbles. After a day of snowpeople, sledding, snow forts, and more, “Snow is the sparkles/ as sun starts to set” and the duo, joined by a second caregiver and baby portrayed with brown skin, troop home, where “Snow is a fire with snuggles and books.” The creators successfully evoke both the exhilaration of a snowy romp and the deep sleep it can inspire. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)