Dressed in his best hat and scarf, with the finest carrot nose, and the roundest coal eyes, the perfect snowman believed that having the best of everything was all there was to life, and all that really mattered. But after receiving a visit from two special friends and a little girl who appeared out of nowhere, like an angel, the snowman begins to realize the true qualities that make him so special.
Using captivating, classical sepia-colored art and a text that evoke scenes from stories by Charles Dickens, author and illustrator Preston McDaniels tells the heartwarming tale about a snowman who receives the most perfect gifts of all: humility, compassion, and love.
On a snowy winter day, a young boy eagerly rushes outside, equipped with "the finest carrot," lumps of coal, and his father's "finest hat, favorite scarf, and best umbrella," to build a perfect snowman. After a day of being admired, the snowman waits in vain for the boy to return. Meanwhile, a hungry rabbit asks him to share his carrot nose with her and her children. The snowman, still feeling nearly perfect, gives up his nose. Then a cold old cat requests his hat and scarf. He takes pity on the cat while still hoping for the boy to return and "make things better." When a shivering young girl begs a piece of coal for warmth, the snowman forgets about himself and gives her his coal and his umbrella. The boy never returns, the snow all melts, and magically the droplets rise to the sky, where the little girl waits for the snowman, happy "forever." There is a gentle, sentimental feeling to these monochromatic, naturalistic, detailed scenes generated with blended graphite. Each sepia-toned double-page spread with thin black borders is surrounded by a delicate trailing of twigs soon covered by snow. A portrait of the finally generous snowman, friendly animals, and a metallic blue-lettered title are on the jacket over a decorated blue cloth-bound cover. Reminders of "The Little Match Girl" and Charles Dickens are unavoidable. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
Preston McDaniels is the illustrator of Phineas L. MacGuire...series! and Cynthia Rylant's Lighthouse Family series. He lives in Aurora, Nebraska.
