Synopsis
Teddy and his family enjoy the excitement of unexpected company when their neighborhood is hit by the worst blizzard in twenty years.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-- ``Here it is--a blizzard--and school's out early!'' The young narrator, his mother, and his brother are snowed in, but one by one the neighbors struggle out of their stranded cars and come to wait out the worst storm in 20 years with them. A party ensues with everyone telling snow stories. Bowman's detailed, yet impressionistic illustrations, done with pastel colored pencils, enhance the feeling of an oasis of warm friendship in the midst of the vast snowy landscape. The story is realistically told but doesn't always sustain the sense of dramatic tension inherent in the event. Lifelike but nonessential information, such as their mother's view on boys cleaning house, diminishes readers' ability to focus on the awe-inspiring storm. There is a sense of extraordinary events and of sharing history with friends, but the telling lacks the punch to make this pleasant story, with fine illustrations,a memorable experience. --Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY