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Ever wonder where all the animals go in the winter? Then this is the book for your family!
Over and Under the snow was written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. Kate Messner was a middle school English teacher before becoming an author, which shows in her beautiful and approachable language. Christopher Silas Neal has illustrated several books with Kate Messner, along with many other books. He also has published his own book “Everyone”. He is best known for his retro-style illustrations and his diverse and inclusive characters.
This wonderful winter book for children follows a child and their father as they traverse across the snow and encounter animals disappearing under the snow. The story explores the two perspectives, what the child is experiencing above the snow and what the animals are doing under the snow.
This book is a gem. It uses beautiful language, filled with rich vocabulary, and lyrically flowing sentences. This is quite a rare find in terms of children’s books! I love the descriptiveness Kate Messner provides from page to page, painting a whole picture with words for the child of what is going on in the main character’s day and the animal world.
The illustrations complement the writing quite nicely, offering a view to the readers of what is happening below as the main character travels by or observes from afar. The simplicity of the illustrations allows the words to shine through while also being aesthetically pleasing and meeting the curiosity of what the animals are doing.
This is a great story to kick off the winter season with children. One transition that occurs from fall to winter is animals preparing their homes for winter and hibernation. This book is a glimpse into the transition for the natural world. This book is great for children that love animals or are curious about where animals go when the snowfalls.
If you are interested in this book, you can find it here, here, or here. It will make a great addition to a classroom or home library!
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