Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Holidays!

I can't imagine a Christmas without snow. We are lucky again this year because while the world here is snow-covered, it will not be snowing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when we are travelling to see family.


Over the last few weeks, I’ve been re-visiting Snow, Snow: Winter Poems for Children by Jane Yolen. The imaginative poems, along with Jason Stemple’s gorgeous photographs, take the reader into the snow-covered world of the Colorado mountains.




In an introductory note, Jane Yolen begins with the point that “Some people love snow.” She goes on to say that this book is also for “those who might love snow if only it weren’t so cold and wet and sometimes inconvenient.” I think that these poems and photographs are beautiful to read and experience if you live in a place where your winter is never white and where you can only dream of snow during the holiday season. These poems will take you there through the “Mountain Snowstorm” that comes “Without warning,” or the “Skier” who passes “So Fast,/ He is just a blur.” You might be swept away by the “Snowmobile” as “It growls/ Like a polar bear”. For those of you who sometimes get snow and are wishing for snow, I hope that you wake tomorrow morning to discover a scene similar to the one described in the first stanza of “Snow on the Trees.” “Somebody painted/ The trees last night,/ Crept in and colored them/ White on white.”

Poetry Friday Roundup is at A Year of Reading.

Happy Holidays!!






12 comments:

  1. Thanks, Toby. I think that our Miss Mimi might be more excited about the presents under the tree than any of us. Happy Holidays!

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  2. Thank you for sharing all your lovely Christmas photos! I love that Yolan book too & have it on display in my school library. Blessed Christmas to you!

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  3. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

    (and somebody scratch the cute kitty under her chin for me!!!)

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  4. Thanks, Andromeda. What a treat for the students at your school!
    Merry Christmas!

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  5. Love your beautiful photos :)
    Happy holidays
    Marinela x

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  6. As long as I can be active in the snow, I love it -- the winter air is invigorating. Driving on icy roads, not so much. Happy New Year, happy writing to you! Love your photos. p.s. the Vince Guaraldi/Charlie Brown Christmas album remains one of my all-time favorites at the holidays.

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  7. Thanks, Marinela!
    Happy New Year to you!

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  8. Thanks, Martha!
    I always have a hard time packing up the Vince Guaraldi CD. I think I'll keep playing it for another week.

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  9. I am definitely going to check out this book of poetry! I'm always looking for poetry to share with my kids.

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  10. I hope your kids enjoy the poems as much as we do!
    Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. I love Jane Yolen, but this Snow book is new to me. Cannot wait to get my hands on it and share it with students. Thanks!

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