Cold Snap
by Eileen Spinelli
illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
ISBN: 9780375857003
copyright: 2012
34 pages
Recommended ages: 3-8
When the temperature begins to drop in the town of Toby Mills, the townspeople enjoy the chance for winter fun. As the thermometer keeps falling, attitudes and habits change; the children don't complain about their warm baths or their itchy woolen socks anymore. The Sullivan Sisters put on their long underwear beneath their dresses. The mayor wears his bunny slippers in the office. The dog even wants to wear a sweater!
As the days of the week pass by, the escapades caused by the cold weather become more and more unusual and memorable. On Monday, the doors to the train are iced shut and the commuters have to be rescued through the train windows by firefighters. On Thursday, the wind blows fiercely and the furnace gives out at the movie theatre: movies are now half price and bring-your-own-blanket.
On Friday, Toby Mills is being called “the new North Pole.”
But the mayor's wife gets a grand idea, to bring the town together and stay warm. Your toes will tingle as you get together with the Moffats, Pastor Pickthorn, Stix Hartman, Miss Dove, and all the townspeople as they celebrate the joy of being together in a winter wonderland.
The book concludes with a recipe for Sugar-On-Snow Candy that you can make with your loved ones the next time it snows.
Whether you live in a cold climate or not, you will enjoy this episode reminiscent of “the good old days” in the delightful town of Toby Mills. Some of us, perhaps, had experiences like this as a kid. Some of us, maybe, just heard about it second-hand. Goodness knows, I've been hearing stories of “the blizzard of '78” since I married into a Boston family in 1996! What fun it is to share what those experiences might have been like with our littles. Marjorie Priceman's vibrant illustrations capture the chilly weather perfectly with their crisp, clear colors. Her pictures are a treasure trove of winter enjoyment that perfectly complement the text.