First Snow [Library Binding]

Emily Arnold McCully (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

The first snow has fallen.
The mice children go sledding
with Grandma and Grandpa.
But at the top of the hill,
who will go first?
Bitty, the smallest mouse,
is scared.
When she tries,

WHEEEEEE,

she finds that sledding is the best!

Caldecott Medalist Emily Arnold McCully captured the chills and thrills of a first sled ride when first snow was published in 1985. She has added words and created new pictures for this handsome larger edition, a companion to picnic.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1 From the moment children see the littlest mouse from Picnic (Harper, 1984) peering out her window into the cool, clean freshness of the snow to the last look at her sound asleep at the supper table, they will be entranced by the mouse family's activities in the first snow of the season. Loaded into the old red truck, the mice children set out for a day of wintering with their grandparents. After climbing, ice skating, making angels and a snowmouse, the young mice line up their sleds for the descent. Finally, only the littlest mouse, clad in her hot pink hat and muffler, is left at the top of the hill. Using alternating visual perspectives from the little mouse's view from the top of the hill to the beckoning grandparent's view from the bottom of the hill, the mouse's quandary is felt. Once the initial swoosh to the bottom is achieved, the pages burst with hot pink as the little mouse climbs and rides up and down the slopes. A wordless story filled with subtleties of mood and dynamics of action. An excellent book to share with children, and they will also appreciate the flow of the line, mood and action independently. Cathy Woodward, Lima Public Library, Ohio
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

PreS-K. When a family of mice goes sledding, little sister Biddy is a fearful of sliding down the big hill. After she has conquered it, though, she wants to go again and again. Like its companion volume Picnic (1984, 2003), this originally wordless picture book has been republished in a larger edition with a simple text. The illustrations have been repainted and significantly enlarged, enhancing their beauty and making their details more accessible to children in story hours. Those who enjoy wordless picture books can always ignore the text, but the addition of a few words ("The road is icy" or "Bitty is scared") on each double-page spread will complete the reading experience for the many parents and caregivers who like to know what to say when they turn the page and for the many children who enjoy hearing the same words with each picture every time. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (December 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066238536
• ISBN-13: 978-0066238531
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,279,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Snow, October 26, 2000

By 

Antoinette Lopatka (Dunmore, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Snow (Library Binding)

First Snow was a delightful story about a mouse family that goes sledding on the first day it snows. One little mouse is frightened but eventually learns how fun it is to sled down a big hill. It is a wordless picture book which allows children to "read" this book a little differently every time. This book is my 3 year old daughters favorite. It's wonderful to see how she translates the pictures into words based upon the expressions on the faces of the mice. She imagines what they are saying and how they are feeling. I thouroughly enjoy "reading" it with her every night to see what different ideas she finds. I beleive it is a great learning tool for preschoolers.