Over and Under the Snow [Hardcover]

Kate Messner (Author), Christopher Silas Neal (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2011 | Age Range: 1 and up | Lexile Measure: 700L (What's this?)

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white.

But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snowshoe hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter, safe and warm.

OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW takes readers on a cross country ski trip through the winter woods to discover the secret world of animals living under the snow.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gliding through the woodland on skis, a girl and her father watch for signs of animals. A squirrel’s tail flashes red as he disappears down a crack in the snow. A fox steps into view. Guided by her father, the child becomes increasingly aware of “the secret kingdom beneath the snow,” where voles pass through tunnels, bullfrogs sleep in mud, and a queen bee hibernates in the ground. A few appended pages offer more information about the animals mentioned and recommend books and websites for further reading. Neal’s artwork, mixed media with digital elements, uses the white snow to isolate images of the people, animals, and trees within the natural setting. Cutaway views show what is happening beneath the snow as well as on its surface. Reminiscent of linocut prints, the illustrations have a retro look that suits Messner’s precisely worded, effective story. A good choice for winter reading, this quiet but eye-opening picture book could heighten a child’s awareness of the natural world. Preschool-Grade 3. --Carolyn Phelan

Review

Marion Vannett Ridgway Book Award Winner: Illustration 2012

"Beautifully rendered" - The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

"Kate Messier... weaves a nature lesson" - USA Today

"Messner packs much information into the serene wintry landscape, beautifully captured in Neal's stunning retro-style illustrations." - The New York Times

"This book depicting beauty in nature is a gem... Anyone looking for a picture book that also teaches science will love this title" - Library Media Connecton, Starred Review

"Throughout the book, Neal's crisp, clean mixed-media illustrations cleverly provide above- and belowground views, and Messner's back material will educate children about the subnivean zone and animal adaptations" - School Library Journal

"Utterly charming, and informative, to boot." - Kirkus Reviews

"[A] lovely study of the ways animals spend the winter." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 1 and up
  
• Hardcover: 44 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811867846
• ISBN-13: 978-0811867849
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.4 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Zoology

More About the Author

Kate Messner is the award-winning author of more than a dozen current and forthcoming books for young readers. Her first novel, The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., won the 2010 E.B. White Read-Aloud Medal for Older Readers, while its follow-up, Sugar and Ice (Walker/Bloomsbury, 2010), was a Junior Library Guild selection. Kate is also the author of the popular Marty McGuire chapter book series and Silver Jaguar Society mysteries with Scholastic. Her pictures books with Chronicle Books include SeaMonster's First Day and Over and Under the Snow, an E.B. White Read Aloud Honor Book and NY Times and ALSC Notable book. Kate is a former middle school English teacher who also wrote REAL REVISION: AUTHORS' STRATEGIES TO SHARE WITH STUDENT WRITERS, a book about the revision process for teachers and writers (Stenhouse, 2011) Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her family, where she enjoys spending time outside biking, hiking, swimming in the summer, skiing and skating in the winter. Of course, she also loves curling up with a good book any day of the year. Follow her on Twitter @KateMessner and learn more at her website: http://www.katemessner.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Subnivean Zone is too cool November 7, 2011

By J. Prather TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

If you are looking for a book to help your young child learn about the winter-time natural world, look no further. Over and Under the Snow gives the reader a unique glimpse of what goes on with some of our favorite creatures when the ground is covered with snow. It combines all the charm and readability of a picture book with great basic concepts of natural science, capped off with illustrations that are nostalgic and perfectly convey a winter's day in the forest.

The story is told by a father and daughter who are skiing through the forest. They catch glimpses of squirrels, hares and foxes, and discuss things like bees, voles and chipmunks who are seen under the snow beneath their feet. Perhaps my favorite line is about bullfrogs; "Under the snow, fat bullfrogs snooze. They dream of sun warmed days, back when they had tails". This is a perfect jumping off point for discussions about hibernation, what animals eat in the winter, and even the life cycle. It's a lot packed into a picture book that never loses it's great read aloud flow.

The author's note taught me about the subnivean zone, how it's created and how so many animals need it to survive. She then provided additional information about each animal and how they adapt to the winter. Finish up with a guide to further reading about animals in winter, and you get a surprisingly complete resource that kids will find to be engaging and teachers will find to be useful in planning their winter themed curriculum. Great for preschool through early elementary, or anyone who doesn't know what subnivean means.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Snowy goodness. Perfect for little readers who love a little bit of non-fiction learning mixed with a great story. November 24, 2011

By Danielle M. Smith VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Snowy banks filled with hidden life hide within the pages of Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner. As a young girl and her father ski across the fields of packed snow she discovers that there's more to the winter than simple white wintry landscapes. From bears to mice to bullfrogs the number of animals hiding beneath the surface are almost too many to count. Follow along on this young girl's journey into a magically real world hiding just under your feet.

Over and Under the Snow has been a delightful story to share with not only my four year old son, but my two year old daughter as well. They both love discover the animals hidden beneath the layers of snow and then flipping to the back of the book to learn more about them in the animal guide listing. For my son it's definitely all about the learning aspect of it. He's in a stage where he wants to soak up every little bit of knowledge he can about things and adding the magic of the snow made it even that much more interesting for him. As for my daughter, she just loves the fun of finding all the animals hidden in the snow. Now, if only we lived near the snow again!

Kate Messner clearly is an author who loves nature and sharing that love through brilliantly written books for children of all ages. In Over and Under the Snow Messner brings to life the hidden world resting just beneath our feet during the snowy wintry months. Begin sharing and teaching about these fantastic creatures at an early age by introducing the magical journey of a little girl and her father. Our family has loved discovering our "favorite" animals at winter time and thanks to Messner's additional reading sources that are listed in the back of the book our discoveries will continue happening. Over and Under the Snow is an excellent addition to any young reader's library and one that will be loved by the entire family!

My original review was posted at There's A Book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read aloud April 29, 2012

By Carol Ekster

Format:Hardcover

This book is a great read aloud even for the upper elementary students. I would have read this wonderfully written book to my fourth graders to model beautiful language and then I would have followed up with having them write about a time in the snow. Perfect reading/writing connection book to share with first through fifth grade students. I taught for 35 years and though now retired, as an author I read many picture books to see what's out there. And this one shines!