ANDY & SANDY AND THE FIRST SNOW

The third installment in the Andy & Sandy series for new readers comes right in time for winter.

Diminutive Andy is hesitant about venturing out into the snow, but the taller Sandy, a kid who knows snow, is more enthusiastic. Andy greets each activity Sandy suggests with skepticism. When Sandy tells Andy to “fall down,” he looks at her like she's crazy and says, “In the snow?” Ultimately he is won over, sort of. When Sandy, now the cold one says, “Snow is very wet and very cold,” Andy counters, “And snow is lots of fun.” Both agree that the best part is “getting warm.” DePaola's simple acrylic-and–colored-pencil illustrations in his signature style match the simple text. Andy has a light brown complexion, curly hair, and, possibly, almond-shaped eyes. Red-haired, fair-skinned Sandy wears glasses and a perpetual smile. The inside covers decorated with pictures attributed to Andy and Sandy show additional winter vocabulary that may encourage children to write about their own adventures in the snow. Short, declarative sentences, single-syllable words, and repeated vocabulary make this unleveled reader ideal for children just beginning to read on their own.

A welcome return for Andy and Sandy! (Early reader. 4-8)