Snow    by Cynthia Rylant & Lauren Stringer Order:  USA  Can Harcourt, 2008 (2008) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch It's hard to believe it's that time of year again, but snow is in the air, and so are books about winter. Acclaimed children's author Cynthia Rylant captures the beauty of the season in her latest picture book. If you thought snow was just snow, Rylant will make you think differently about it. In her book, snow is revered, it contains messages, it produces feelings. The book's lilting poetic verses beg to be read aloud, but softly and gently, like the snow to which they pay homage: 'The best snow is the snow that comes softly in the night, like a shy friend afraid to knock, so she thinks she'll just wait in the yard until you see her. This is the snow that brings you peace.' ... 'And the snow, while it is here, reminds us of this: that nothing lasts forever except memories. And while the snow is here this brief moment, let us take a walk and see how beautiful the world is ...' Lauren Stringer's gorgeous acrylic-based brushstrokes are perfectly paired with the subject of snow, making me want to jump right into the picture with the frolicking children. Stringer wrote and illustrated another favorite book of ours, Winter is the Warmest Season. The two books together would make a nice holiday present for a young child. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews