Customer Reviews

Names for Snow

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Beautifully illustrated with the artwork of Loretta Krupinski, Names For Snow is a delightful picture book inspired by Inuit culture, as well as author Judi Beach's fond and personal childhood memories. Inuit Native Americans spend so much of their lives in winter that it is said they have over fifty names for snow. In Names For Snow, a mother rabbit shows her child the many names and sides of this wintry phenomenon, from Harmonica when it whistles through the trees, to Kitten when it sleeps in the crook of a window, to Trickster when it appears on April first, and more. Names For Snow is commended for young readers as being a thoroughly joyful celebration of winter season wonder.

When snow becomes a magician or a trickster, a family member or prayer, you have entered the metaphorical world of Judi K. Beach. A wonderful template for a winter "game" when snow keeps you and the kids housebound. Ask them, "What would you call this snow?" and hold onto your pens when they answer! Wonderful illustrations by Krupinski keep the very young interested.

I hate snow, but I love this little book. I love the cat
sitting in the window sill, I love the barnyard scenes, the
geese in the corn, the fire in the fireplace, the moon glistening,
the snowman, the sled on the porch, the scarecrow in the field, and the bunnies having fun outdoors in
the snow and inside in the cozy warm house. It reminds me so
much of my own youth on the farm. My granddaughter loves it too.
We read it nearly every day.

I have to tell you right off that I am absolutely stunned that this work is no longer in print. It is one of the most beautifully written and illustrated works I am familiar with and is one of those children's books that could quite well be classified as flawless.

The subject here is snow and just what you can and should call snow. Different cultures, both present and past, from around the world have always held a fascination for me. One of those is that of the Inuits. Those people of the north have over fifty words to describe snow; if anyone should know their snow, it should be the Inuits.

Anyway....

This book opens with a little rabbit holding hands with its mother and the little rabbit asks her the question "Mama, what is snow?" And then as each page is turned the eye is treated to one snow scene after the other with answers such as:

"We call it Sheet when it stretches across garden beds."

"Call snow Lace when it limes the limbs of the lilacs - "

"Call it Prayer in its stillness - "

"Call it Tickle when you stand, arms outstretched, and catch it on your tongue - "

Each answer to the question is on one page and is bordered with colorful and delightfully dressed little rabbits engaged in various winter activities. The facing page is composed of wonderful winter scenes, most whimsical in nature, some quite breathtaking in beauty and all minutely detailed. The art work here must have been quite a task; but obviously a task of love. The text, while quite simple, is extremely profound in nature.

Of course after reading this work to a small child it is an easy step to start a word game with them and find all of the wonderful word both you and the child can come up with to describe your own snow. This can easily be extended to raid, sunshine, nighttime and on and on.

The book is well bound and should last through several children.

Wish there were more books on the market of the quality of this one and I do hope this one does is not one of those that disappear as so often happens with great books over the years.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Names for Snow is a beautiful book to remind us elders of the wonders of the first snow of the season and those to follow. I bought this book for myself and now I'm buying one for my grand-daughter, so she, too, will have the fun of naming her snows. Thanks to Judi Beach for her wonderful poetry and to Loretta Krupinski for her beautiful illustrations.