Today marks an important day (at least to a four year old) in Iowa: the first day it snows. My little guy woke up and exploded into our room so excited about snow. Usually I go all bah-hum-bug when it comes to snow, but his enthusiasm was infectious. We’ll see how that continues into February. Don’t even get me started on February.
Along with celebrating birthdays with vintage books, I also have a few books celebrating the first snowfall. My favorite is The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.
This book is so sweet. Our 1962 original copy is falling apart at the seams so more than likely I will need to find another one at a used book store. This book won a Caldecott Medal, and if you ever want to find quality vintage books, look for the golden Caldecott seal.
My son got all sorts of ideas on exactly what to do in the snow other than run around and get cold. Yes, he found a stick and smacked a tree.
And yes, he slid down a hill. The illustrations are just gorgeous.
Snow by Roy McKie and P.D. Eastman is another classic, also published in 1962. My vintage copy bit the dust so I ordered this one, which is a 1993 reprint.
One thing that usually differs from the original copy is paper quality. This one has considerable bleed through since the ink is so saturated and the paper so thin. Oh well, it still gives my son ideas for snow play.
I’m giving this one a couple months before I find a snowball in the freezer.
And he was really upset with this page. This will happen too I’m sure.
Ok, ok maybe this is a cop-out, but I didn’t have any other kids books about snow. My 1937 copy of Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs is in pretty good shape. It’s the Brothers Grimm tale, not the Disney movie, so you know things are going to get creepy.
Dark animal-infested forest? Check.
Evil queen? Check.
All seven dwarfs looming over a sleeping Snow White? Check.
Although at the end I have to say I’m a little disappointed in Brothers Grimm. I won’t give it away, but I expected something a little more gruesome for the Queen.
Any vintage books about snow that you recommend? Does anyone else save up books like this or am I the only one with way too many books on hand?
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