In this paperback edition of Katy and the Big Snow, complete with CD audio recording, Katy, a brave and untiring tractor, who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter, makes it possible for the townspeople to do their jobs.
Katy and the Big Snow: Vol 2
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Browse the best books for every age and adventure including popular series, classics, and editors' picks in our Kids Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
This old-fashioned tale about one little snowplow's determination in the face of a small-town blizzard has all the charm and moral grit of The Little Engine That Could. This isn't surprising, considering that Caldecott Medal-winning author Virginia Lee Burton (The Little House) specializes in bringing the inanimate to life with endearing illustrations and stories of fortitude and vulnerability. Katy, a red crawler tractor, "could do a lot of things," Burton explains early on. In the summer she is a bulldozer, helping to build and repair roads in the city of Geoppolis. In the winter, she turns into a snowplow, waiting and waiting for her chance to be useful. Most of the winters, though, the snowfalls are mild and the town doesn't need Katy. But when the big one finally hits, the town is buried in page after page of powder. The power lines are down. The doctor can't get his patient to the hospital. The fire department can't reach a burning house! "Everyone and everything was stopped but... KATY!" Suddenly, the entire community is dependent on one little snowplow. Children love witnessing Katy's shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her "chug, chug, chug" endurance. (Ages 4 and older) --Gail Hudson
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Bright, vigorous pictures with plenty of action and endless detail portray Katy at work for the Highway Department of the city of Geoppolis." --Horn Book
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Virginia Lee Burton was the talented author and illustrator of some of the most enduring books ever written for children. The winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal for The Little House, Burton's books include heroes and happy endings, lively illustrations, and a dash of nostalgia. She lived with her two sons, Aristides and Michael, and her husband George Demetrios, the sculptor, in a section of Gloucester, Massachusetts, called Folly Cove. Here she taught a class in design and from it emerged the Folly Cove designers, a group of internationally known professional artisans.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
For some reason it always surprises me a little that my older son loves classic children's books like this one so much. It shouldn't---they are classics for a reason! This book has so many great little details---the map of the town, the images of the town slowly being opened up to activity by being plowed out, and of course the train and tracks which makes the book for my son! He loves the idea also that Katy is tired at the end of the big day---it's started real discussions about whether machines can really be tired, and I think helped him understand how authors can fictionalize things to give you a feeling for the themes and ideas in a book.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Readers familiar with Virginia Lee Burton will know her penchant for bringing inanimate objects to life. This is a wonderful addition to those books, perfect for young children between the ages of 2 and 6. This story was a favorite in my household when I was a child, much to the dismay of my mother who wished we would select anything else for a change! (She got sick of reading it more than once a week) ^_^
The star of this book, in case anyone hasn't guessed, is a tractor named Katy who is a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter in the city of Geopolis. Geopolis could be any small city. When a huge blizzard leaves several feet of snow behind, it is up to Katy to save the day, getting everyone where they need to go in Geopolis. As the only vehicle that hasn't been stopped by the snow, Katy must prove her toughness and sense of duty by spending the whole day clearing the streets, earning a satisfying and well-needed rest at the end of the story. That's really the whole story. Sound a bit uneventful? Well, yes. There's never a doubt that Katy will succeed in her task. There isn't a great deal of interaction with human characters besides getting them where they are going. So for a child who wants a complex plot more along the lines of MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL, they may be disappointed. But, as I said, this book was a favorite in my house, and there were several reasons why.
Repetition: stories for younger children with regularly repeated phrases like this one are worthwhile to the listener, if not always the reader. Throughout the book the main line-`"Follow me," said Katy'--is repeated every time Katy happens across more citizens in need. Children will soon be providing that line on their own in the course of the story. Maps: This was my first real introduction to maps, and it's a great tool for enabling your child to understand how maps work as they follow Katy's route through Geopolis. They can trace her path on the page, and find the places she's headed to or hasn't plowed out yet. You can begin to discuss concepts of North, South, East and West with them, and maybe even break out maps of your own city or town for their perusal and comparison. The pictures are simply drawn with lovely borders, and their young audience easily understands them. Snow: It's a great introduction to what can happen during a snowstorm and the kind of trucks needed to clear the way. It's a crisis without ever being a scary crisis for kids and still addresses the problems of a blizzard-getting a patient to the hospitals, getting the firemen to a fire, getting the kids to school.
For the most part, I don't recommend this book for older children. Even five and six year-olds might have outgrown this, unless they're reading the book on their own. But it's a great book to read to younger children, especially if you live in a snowy clime! If this is your first experience with this author, I highly recommend you check out MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL and THE LITTLE HOUSE.
Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^
The star of this book, in case anyone hasn't guessed, is a tractor named Katy who is a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter in the city of Geopolis. Geopolis could be any small city. When a huge blizzard leaves several feet of snow behind, it is up to Katy to save the day, getting everyone where they need to go in Geopolis. As the only vehicle that hasn't been stopped by the snow, Katy must prove her toughness and sense of duty by spending the whole day clearing the streets, earning a satisfying and well-needed rest at the end of the story. That's really the whole story. Sound a bit uneventful? Well, yes. There's never a doubt that Katy will succeed in her task. There isn't a great deal of interaction with human characters besides getting them where they are going. So for a child who wants a complex plot more along the lines of MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL, they may be disappointed. But, as I said, this book was a favorite in my house, and there were several reasons why.
Repetition: stories for younger children with regularly repeated phrases like this one are worthwhile to the listener, if not always the reader. Throughout the book the main line-`"Follow me," said Katy'--is repeated every time Katy happens across more citizens in need. Children will soon be providing that line on their own in the course of the story. Maps: This was my first real introduction to maps, and it's a great tool for enabling your child to understand how maps work as they follow Katy's route through Geopolis. They can trace her path on the page, and find the places she's headed to or hasn't plowed out yet. You can begin to discuss concepts of North, South, East and West with them, and maybe even break out maps of your own city or town for their perusal and comparison. The pictures are simply drawn with lovely borders, and their young audience easily understands them. Snow: It's a great introduction to what can happen during a snowstorm and the kind of trucks needed to clear the way. It's a crisis without ever being a scary crisis for kids and still addresses the problems of a blizzard-getting a patient to the hospitals, getting the firemen to a fire, getting the kids to school.
For the most part, I don't recommend this book for older children. Even five and six year-olds might have outgrown this, unless they're reading the book on their own. But it's a great book to read to younger children, especially if you live in a snowy clime! If this is your first experience with this author, I highly recommend you check out MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL and THE LITTLE HOUSE.
Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
At 51 years of age and very recently a first time grandfather with the aid of Amazon.com I started searching for my favorite stories from decades ago. All of Dr.Suess and the Little Engine That Could to Thorton Burgess's many publications that make me smile so many years later. Of all my past memories Katy and the Big Snow was one that I checked out of our local Library at least 3 times a month. It taught me that determination is most important in acheiving goals and that good things come to those who wait and endure. These are the types of books our younger generation should be reading instead of what is available on television these days. I hope someday my Grandchildren will come to enjoy this book as I have.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
BIG board book
This board book is very thick (many pages). It is too big for my 1-year old to handle but it is a lovely story.
Published 1 day ago by Gretchen T Hickey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Katy and the Big Snow is great!!!
My sons, who are now in their 30s, really enjoyed all of Virginia Lee Burton's books when they were younger. This book is for my grandson who is 3 years old. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Barbara L Fries-Dilworth
5.0 out of 5 stars
A favorite
One of my all-time favorite stories as a kid, and I've been sharing it and "The Little House" with friends for years when I've needed a baby gift.
Published 1 month ago by Karen Chow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
My 3 yr old loves this book. We are big fans of Burton and this is one of her best. It also comes with stickers.
Published 1 month ago by LauraVZ
3.0 out of 5 stars
lovely story and art marred by cheap gimmicks and sloppy printing
I bought this to replace the falling-apart copy from my own childhood. It's the same beautiful story and magical artwork from the original, which I love. Read more
Published 1 month ago by cobie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clever, creative and timeless
This book was always one of my favorites growing up as a kid. Being from Buffalo, snow and snow plows were a way of life. But this is a story that anyone can appreciate. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cakes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three Boys Love this Story!
I have 3 little boys I babysit for and they REQUEST
each time for me to read this. They like to see
how the plow moves through the city and
traffic follows in its... Read more
each time for me to read this. They like to see
how the plow moves through the city and
traffic follows in its... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Lilly5
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic that I will always love
This is a book that my parents read to me as a child and I have in term purchased multiple times as gifts for friends who now have young children. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kevin R List
1.0 out of 5 stars
just enough text for the littlest listener!
Wonderful reading experience for the youngest of children, from an author whose work are classics! The board book is easy to handle, colors are vibrant and story incorporates... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michigan 73
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
My son adores the book and we read it over and over. I grew up loving this book and I'm thrilled he loves it too.
Published 3 months ago by Brantley
