Remembering the Past

Song for the Snow by Jon-Erik Lappano and Byron Eggenschwiler has been on my radar for so long now. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this gorgeous story and I was thrilled when it finally arrived.

Freya has been longing for snow for quite some time. She remembers what it was like to play in it and feel the cold nip at her cheeks but it has been quite some time since she has gotten to experience the snow first hand. One day the snow just went away and hasn’t come back since. A chance encounter with mysterious woman at the market has Freya sharing the gift of the song for the snow with the town and perhaps creating a shift in the wind.

I immediately connected with this book living in Toronto having grown up near Ottawa. In my childhood, we had snowbanks piled over our heads but now, especially in Toronto, we barely have any snow which makes the winter time feel so long and dark. Grey everywhere. I could use a snow song to bring back the snow and give us something to celebrate in the winter. It’s also an observation about how the world is changing, not having as much snow as we once did thanks to our warming climate. This is not a story about global warming or climate change. This is a story about magic, community and traditions; how when we all work towards a common goal and use knowledge from our past, we can create a special type of magic.

Jon-Erik Lappano has a beautiful writing style, infusing all of the pages with the most incredible descriptions and he creates such a cozy atmosphere with his words. There is magic in his words that will leave readers feeling wrapped in a warm cozy blanket with a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

Byron Eggenschwiler has infused his special illustrative magic into the pages of this delightful story. A little different from his other work but equally as beautiful, it is easy to be swept away reading this story. Also, we LOVED the sneaky little bunnies we found on a few paged of the story!