Magical Snowman
The title says it all, or most of it, since the snowman at the center of this book is not only magical but also very shiny, an effect the publisher describes on its Web site as a silvery sparkling finishing. That novelty aside, this is a gentle story of a little rabbit who gets lost in the forest while looking for berries. The snowman, whom Little Rabbit had spent the morning creating before his father had stated that it wasn’t real, comes to life and helps Little Rabbit get back home. Walters keeps the text spare and simple (The world whisked by in a shimmer of silver frost), and Edgson’s illustrations feature amiable creatures in a convincingly wintry setting. The action scenes, in which the rabbit and snowman slide down hills and over frozen ponds, are particularly effective, punctuated with sound effects like Whooooooooosh! and Wheeeeeeeeeee! that should appeal to young sledding aficionados. Preschool-Grade 1. --Abby Nolan