Snow bear by Tony Mitton and Alison Brown

Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN: 9781408853344
(Ages 2-6) This is a heart-warming, rhyming narrative with poetic descriptive language. It uses a common premise in children's books- a lonely character searching for a home-but is a particularly pleasing version. We do not know where little Snow Bear has come from, but he is wandering through the cold, snowy night alone looking for a place to sleep. He finds some cosy places but other animals are already living there and there is no room for him. However, when he spots a warm, cosy farmhouse he discovers a little girl who is lonely just like him and a place he can call home. The illustrations perfectly capture the contrast between the white, wintry world of loneliness and the warm, fiery, cosy world of home. Descriptive language and imagery adds a poetic tone-'But ahead the snow's waiting, unbroken and fine'. This would be a good title to use when discussing concepts of home and feelings of belonging, as well as for discussions around descriptive language. Equally, this is a timeless and touching story perfect for just sharing and enjoying.
Nicole Smith-Forrest