Little Snowman Stan

PreS-K—Little Snowman Stan stands on a hilltop with two other snowmen. As the winter drags on, he longs to move and speak, but the two larger snowmen admonish him whenever he stirs. When a bird lands on his carrot nose and advises him to move and be free, he readily agrees, gleefully running, jumping, and throwing snowballs. He rides an abandoned bicycle north to Freezeland, where "it is too cold for the sun to shine," so the snowmen play freely and never melt. The story cuts off abruptly with an ellipsis as Snowman Stan plans to return home and tell his frosty friends what he has learned. The text is awkward and choppy, and the slight story lacks internal consistency. Though it reads somewhat allegorically, the message is unclear. The illustrations are serviceable, with changing light patterns providing visual interest in an otherwise static landscape. Ultimately, though, Little Snowman Stan falls flat. Raymond Briggs's The Snowman (Random, 1978) is a richer and more poignant choice.—Rachael Vilmar, Easter Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD