Gr 2-5-- Working in full color with pastels and watercolor, Byard illustrates an unusual story which successfully blends contemporary realism and historical fantasy. Jacob Miller is an angry, bitter city child who associates his family's poverty with being black. Despite Jacob's pessimistic attitude, his younger brother Peewee persuades him to help build a snowman, even though the snow is black from city dirt and traffic. A black snowman,'' says Jacob, with his usual sarcasm.Just what I always wanted.'' Picking through trashcans to find a wardrobe for the snowman, Peewee comes across a colorful rag which he drapes around their new creation. It turns out to be a magical kente cloth from West Africa which has the power to restore memory, and it brings the snowman to life. Through a dreamlike sequence later that night, the snowman transforms bricks and trashcan lids into majestic African warriors and queens. He tells Jacob stories of his ancient African ancestors, thereby instilling in the boy a sense of self-respect and pride in his heritage. Mendez' message for the current generation of black youth is clear: be proud of yourself and your African ancestry. Due to the length and complexity of the story, The Black Snowman is suitable for a slightly older audience than is typical for the picture-book format. A large, clear typeface makes it accessible to newly independent readers, while Byard's large, bold illustrations make it a candidate for reading aloud to the same age group. And Byard's illustrations are not to be missed. In mood and content, they most closely resemble her work for Eloise Greenfield's Africa Dream (Crowell, 1977), although here her use of color gives added emotional depth and power to her work. While the art style is realistic, the soft, rounded shapes express the homey security of Jacob's family. A wide range of luminous blue, gray, brown and purple hues enriches the textured beauty of the illustrations. The artist's focus on a glowing darker spectrum in the dramatic nighttime sequences subtly reinforces the snowman's message to Jacob that there is dark beauty all around him, if he would only look for it. --Kathleen T. Horning, Madison Pub . Lib .