SNOW STILL

Follow a young deer as it explores a wintry landscape.

Enveloped in a puffy, padded cover that matches the softness of the delicate watercolor images within, the book depicts a fawn partaking in a mild snowy adventure. Pale white backgrounds of thinly lined, gray-washed trees and snowdrifts are tranquil while the tawny fawn’s coat, the red rose hips, and the snow-encrusted, olive-green leaves provide notes of colorful contrast. Limiting herself to one two-word phrase per page, all beginning with the word “snow,” the author manages to tell a fairly concise story, though some combinations feel more germane than others. After emerging from a clearing, a “snow chase” after bunnies leads the fawn through a “snow find”—a meeting with songbirds perched on a branch—and into peril as the fawn leaves the safe forest for a “snow silent” open field. Showing the fawn small and alone amid the empty white landscape communicates just enough drama for a young audience but also warmly resolves it as the fawn finds its way back to parents, nuzzling and “snow safe.” Though there’s some mild anthropomorphization, the adventures feel plausible enough until the buck is shown caring for the fawn, which is not accurate. Still, if readers aren’t sticklers for authenticity, they’ll delight in finding the woodland animals and in that precious spotted deer.

Toddlers will fawn over this board book.