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Summary: When Jane wakes up and looks outside, there is a snow blanket. She loves snow and is excited to share it with her puppy Marvin. Jane wraps Marvin's neck in a scarf and they head out to enjoy everything snowy: eating snowflakes, catching snowballs, making a snowman. Jane narrates this story of a day out in the snow with her dog.
Type of Reading: family reading, playtime reading, read aloud book
Recommended Age: read together: 3 to 6; read yourself: 7 to 9
Interest Level: 3 to 5
Young Reader Reaction: Review pending.
Adult Reader Reaction: Marvin is adorable, and Jane has lots of energy. With Jane telling the story, the author packed in more learning. For example, Jane comments on the different shapes Marvin created in the snow. She also explains the properties of snow. It was too much and too obvious for my taste. Thinking of my daughter and books we read in preschool, she would see right through me trying to "teach" her something. She'd ask about Marvin, and if there wasn't anything more about the dog, she'd make me stop reading.
Pros: Kids who love puppies will enjoy watching Marvin as he spends a day in the snow.
Cons: The story is about a puppy, and it is true to how a puppy would behave for the most part. It falls apart at building a snowman when Jane tells Marvin to "find some pebbles." Scarves and dogs aren't a good mix (tangled paws can cause strangling). Be prepared to explain to your child that your pet shouldn't wear a scarf "just like Marvin" if s/he wants to take your pet outside to play in the snow.
Borrow or Buy: Borrow. This is a good introduction to science concepts for kids (looking at properties).
Educational Themes: Jane points out lots of information for the reader (snowflake shapes, shapes in the snow, snow melting, et al). As you read, ask your reader to point to those things on the page. With shapes, they can trace them with their fingers.
Notes: The author donated a copy of this book knowing that we would consider it for review and provide an independent, unbiased profile. This book will be given to a nonprofit to help readers in need.