S Is for Snowman: God's Wintertime Alphabet

by Kathy-jo Wargin

Overview

“White snowy Angels with wide sweeping wings — Let’s find the wonders that God’s winter brings.” Children explore the delights of winter from A to Z in this charming softcover edition that celebrates the season’s blessings: from the sparkle of lights to the warmth of a quilt and the scent of fresh-baked cookies. As children review the alphabet, they discover the joy and beauty of wintertime, whether revealed in the bustle of the holidays or the quiet of a snowy walk. S is for Snowman is the latest installment in Ms. Wargin’s alphabet-centered picture book series that includes K is for Kite, F is for Fireflies, and P is for Pumpkin.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310740773
Publisher:	Zonderkidz
Publication date:	09/28/2013
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 10.75(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

When Kathy-jo Wargin was a young girl, each night after dinner, her mother let her choose between washing the dishes or writing a poem. Before long, she decided that if she grew up to be a writer, she wouldn't have to do any dishes. She has since learned that even though she has published more than twenty award-winning books for children, she still has to wash the dishes. Kathy-jo lives in Minnesota with her husband and her son. Go to her website www.kathy-jowargin.com

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 1—This book completes the set. As in P Is for Pumpkin (2008), K Is for Kite (2010), and F Is for Fireflies (2011, all Zonderkidz), Wargin celebrates the blessings of the season. Beginning with "A is for Angels," the narrative proceeds through the alphabet in simple rhyming couplets, showcasing a variety of wintertime delights, such as cookies and hot chocolate, ice skating, jingle bells, and warm mittens and overcoats. Some rhymes are more successful than others. One particularly meaningful verse is, "When walking outside in the cold icy air,/the silence of winter is perfect for Prayer." Wargin develops the recurring themes of God's love and the beauty of nature throughout and concludes with, "From mittens to snowmen and angels with wings—/may your hearts know the wonders that God's winter brings." Each letter is emphasized in bold, and the text is illustrated with snowy pastel paintings featuring a loving family engaged in seasonal activities. Although it does not include a religious message, Steven Schnur's Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic (Clarion, 2002) presents a more sophisticated and engaging alphabetical tribute to winter.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA

School Library Journal

Wargin's latest completes her four-season abecedarian series and relates the wonders of winter to God's goodness. First and foremost, this is a celebration of winter-related activities, indoor and out: making snow angels, feeding the birds, baking cookies, sipping hot chocolate, ice skating and sledding. At the same time, the natural wonders of wintertime are brought to the fore: "God cast the Frost sparkling white on the land, / a beautiful blanket spread right from his hand." From counting blessings on the squares of a warm quilt to seeing God's love in the light spilling from house windows into the darkness beyond, many of Wargin's rhyming couplets stress God's goodness and people's responsibility to spread that goodness through acts of caring--doing chores and sharing anything from mittens to soup. While Jesus is not specifically mentioned, decorating a tree and exchanging gifts are some of the wintertime activities. Johnson's softly colored illustrations are vital to filling in details that just cannot be expressed in rhyming couplets, and they add a few activities that aren't mentioned in the text; the north wind page features skiing, for instance. A nice addition to seasonal bookshelves that will find extra use in church-school programs. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews