When the Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall

October 21, 2019
Candy-bright digital illustrations with a retro-modern flair by Chou match the exuberance of Reidy’s rhyming snow day story. A curly-headed child, ruddy-faced, is excited to go outside and play: “Winter’s here at last!/ Gobble down my pancakes./ Getting dressed so fast.” Repetition (“Then I roll, roll, roll/ that ball, ball, ball/ and the carrot-nosed man/ grows tall, tall, tall”) and relatable, concrete descriptions (“But my pinkie’s in my mitten/ where my thumb should go/ and my hat flies off/ when the cold winds blow”) drive the action, which centers on the child playing outside, getting too cold, and then cuddling up with their parents. Though the story devolves into greeting-card sentiment (“When my heart’s so big.../ I never feel small”), the rising snow is measured with kid-friendly specificity—“deeper than my toes are tall,” “deeper than my ankles are high,” “deeper than my boots are tall”—that is sure to please. Ages 4–8.

September 15, 2019
Oh! The thrills--and chills--of the season's first snowstorm! A child slips on snow pants, "loopty-loops" a scarf, zips up a jacket, and gets ready to "Step! Stamp! Stomp!" in the snow until it is finally "deeper than my boots are tall." Oh dear! Luckily, playful parents "swoop" the child out of the deep snow and stay to enjoy family play in the snow. Chou's blocky, bright illustrations show a peach-complected, brown-haired father, mother, and child against changing snow-blue backgrounds. The child's pink-and-purple hat, orange scarf, lime-green parka, and pink mittens make for vivid spots of color on the icy pages. A friendly dog and somewhat dubious cat provide additional visual interest. One playmate is a child of color. Although the rhyme and meter aren't technically perfect, this snow ballad (with repeated and expanding chorus and onomatopoeic exclamations) sings: "And my nose drip, drips, / and my wet cheeks freeze, / and the drifts, oh they drift / to the tops of my knees, / and my feet get soaked, / toes one and all, / because the snow is deeper-- / it's really so much deeper-- / the snow is deeper than my boots are tall." It's just waiting for a performer and a young audience eager to participate. This celebration of the first day of snowy play hits the right notes. (Picture book. 3-8)

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