The Big Snow

The Big Snow
Berta and Elmer Hader
Macmillan Publishing, 1948

Books from this era always remind me of my mother's collection that I coveted as a girl. I especially love the books from this period that show animals in their own habitats rather than standing upright and acting as people. The naturalistic quality is heartwarming and allows you to see into their world instead of just imagining them in our own.

"Honk-honk-honk."
The wild geese were flying south.
The big harvest moon had come and gone.
Red and gold were the leaves on the maples and oaks,
and the wind that blew down from the north was cold.

The story follows a group of animals getting organized as winter sets in... some fly south... others rough it where they are (with a little help from a generous couple and their seeds, nuts and bread crumbs.)

A Caldecott Medal winner, I picked up this '76 version at a library sale, and just love the feel of the fabric on the binding and the matte finish cover. And the illustrations (both B&W and color) are just so rich and splendid. The snow flecks painted on the backs of the deer are a wonder.