Clear Moon, Snow Soon [Hardcover]

Tony Johnston (Author), Guy Porfirio (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A child anticipates the arrival of an old man in red, smelling of pine, spreading crinkling presents late at night.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Clear moon, snow soon./ An old man in red will come to visit/ when I'm in bed." Johnston's (Cat, What Is That?) rhythmic account of a boy's anticipation on Christmas Eve borders on slight, but Porfirio (Happy Birthday, America!) expands and embroiders the premise in realistic oil paintings that offer a visual subplot. Each turn of the page tantalizes readers with glimpses of Santa (his shadow, his silhouette on the rooftop, his reflection in the tree ornaments), until, finally, the boy imagines catching the man in the act well, his boots anyway, disappearing up the chimney. Ages 5-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reS-K-Like oversized Christmas cards, the oil-painted illustrations for this brief soliloquy are familiar and predictable. Santa flies his sleigh over snowy rooftops, a child peers from his bedroom window, then creeps down the festooned stairwell at night. However, if the pictures offer no surprises, Johnston's poetic text, with "crinkling presents," "the old man in red" dancing barefoot on the roof humming "his old, old song" gives the story a uniqueness all its own. With Clear Moon, children can relive the delicious anticipation of Santa's arrival, and even catch a memorable peek at him.-S. P.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Rising Moon Books (July 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873587855
• ISBN-13: 978-0873587853
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,908,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A quiet read for young children waiting for Santa Claus., December 18, 2001

By 

Dari B. Wayne (Lawrenceville, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clear Moon, Snow Soon (Hardcover)

Holiday books come and go, but Clear Moon, Snow Soon should become part of your Christmas reading shelf, especially if you have young children. The winter blue cover with the hologram title is lovely and an invitation of beautiful illustrations inside. The reader is not disappointed. Illustrator, Guy Porfirio, has captured the wonderlust that a young boy has while waiting for Santa. Rich, golden-hued colors reflect an evenings glow throughout. A simple read, this is the definitive bed-time story book for December. Rising Moon has always been know for publishing "beautiful" children's books and Clear Moon, Snow Soon is another visual winner.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the spirit and mystery of a visit from Santa Claus, October 17, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clear Moon, Snow Soon (Hardcover)

Tony Johnston's Clear Moon, Snow Soon is a wondrous Christmas picturebook that captures the spirit and mystery of a visit from Santa Claus on a starry winter night. Soft, breathtaking, full-color splash-page illustrations by Guy Porfirio highlight the very simple text, making Clear Moon, Snow Soon perfect for the youngest beginning readers. The deep blue-white of the wraparound cover painting is particularly striking.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Visit from St. Nicholas, November 25, 2001

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clear Moon, Snow Soon (Hardcover)

In a crowded, Christmas-shopper filled bookstore, loaded with brimming displays of colorful books, this one just grabbed me as I walked past and turned me around and called on me to pick it up. It implored me with its dazzling clear blue dust jacket festooned with large sparkly letters in the title and a huge white full moon with Santa's sleigh just disappearing off the cover. The illustrations in this book are lavish and colorful and filled with heart-warming sentimental details and the innocent joys of childhood wonder and expectation on the most magical night of Christmas Eve. In a way this book is "A Visit from St. Nicholas" but in a different family's home in a different era. Like its predecessor it captures the excitement and the hustle-bustle of that "jolly old elf" busy at work bringing Christmas fun to children. The text is simple and little ones will love it and so will the people who love them. Merry Christmas!