"What if it starts to snow? / What do you do? / Where do you go?" Brief rhymed responses within a pattern of repetition hint at what some creatures do: mouse, cat, black crow, sparrow, geese, beaver, fish, pig, cow, hen, rooster, worm, stoat, frog, deer, bear. At the end we see what a bat, snake, raccoon, squirrel, mole, rabbit, wolf and chipmunk do, too. What does a child want to do? Go out to play! Despite the large roster of creatures introduced in Gershator's short text, Matje's crisp lines and generous uses of white energize the simple idea. (Ages 2-4)

What if it starts
to snow?
What do you do?
Where do you go?

What if it starts to snow. What do you do? Where do you go?" So begins this winter story, as each animal--from a mouse to a bear--tells us what it will do and where it will go when the snow starts to fall. Each takes cover in its own special home, except for one. Can you guess who?

Phillis Gershator's chant-along verse encourages listener participation, and is best enjoyed when read aloud. The inquisitive text and dashing illustrations by Martin Matje make this a delightful picture book for reading under the covers when the weather gets chilly. Poetic and imaginative, When It Starts to Snow celebrates winter in all its cozy glory.