We belly-whopped and spun like tops. The sounds of the rhyming words are as much fun as the snow action in these 16 poems by well-known children's poet Prelutsky, accompanied by exuberant line-and-watercolor illustrations that capture all the play in the cold. Presented through one kid's viewpoint, the loosely connected poems range from one about the ebullience of building a huge snowman with friends to one about the sadness of watching the snowman melt with the coming of spring. This entry in the I Can Read series will work well for reading alone or for reading aloud; many young children will recognize the physical immediacy (I romp and I roll like a fool) of the story, including the bother of wearing all those winter clothes and the intricate design of one snowflake (a tiny, fragile gem).

Prelutsky is a master at writing poems for beginning readers that capture a child's-eye-view of the world. With rollicking rhymes and rhythms, these sixteen poems describe a range of familiar winter experiences, including the first snowfall, snowball fights, ice skating, and catching cold. Lively illustrations complement the poetry.

The magical excitement of winter is the focus of this entry in the I Can Read series from prolific poet Prelutsky, who offers 16 rhyming poems for children who are reading fluently on their own. The poems are set with a longer line length, and in large type with lots of white space between lines, giving the effect of an illustrated story rather than a poetry collection, and making this collection easier to read than most poetry for new readers. Most of the poems are humorous or just plain silly fun in Prelutsky's familiar fashion, but a few are more introspective, adding a touch of melancholy to the more exuberant offerings. The appealing illustrations by Abolafia follow one dark-haired little boy and his dog as they explore their wintry world: skating, throwing snowballs and creating a jolly snowman friend who is poignantly reduced to just a black hat, a carrot and lumps of coal on the final page. (Poetry. 5-9)

K-Gr 3-With new illustrations by Abolafia, this book has an updated, colorful appearance but the same kid-friendly poems as in the original edition (HarperCollins, 1984). The selections will still tickle funny bones: "There are glaciers in my stomach,/there is sleet inside my bones,/I am colder than the contents/of a million ice-cream cones" ("I Am Freezing!") and "I waddle, then I flop,/I'm the living, breathing model/of a walking clothing shop" ("My Mother's Got Me Bundled Up"). The quieter poems are just as appealing: "I wondered at the beauty/of its intricate design,/I breathed, the snowflake vanished,/but for moments, it was mine" ("A Snowflake Fell"). The watercolor-and-ink paintings are warm and filled with expressive faces and animated scenes. Young readers will enjoy this collection on their own, but the bouncing rhymes make the selections easy choices for readers theater presentations and for sharing aloud.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.