The Snow Party

The Snow Party
Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
Drawings by Reiner Zimnik
Pantheon Books, 1959

I swear, walking into a used book shop is such a thrill for me. It's like a treasure hunt that gets my pulse racing every time at what I might find. Seriously, after a particularly fun haul, I usually call up my husband to spew excitement and let's just say he doesn't quite share my enthusiasm. Though he is probably more of a reader than I am, the fact that every empty counter in our house is usually cluttered with books drives him batty. Anywho, today was a good day, as evidenced by this delightful score for $1.

So there's this old woman and this old man and they live in a house in the snowy middle of nowhere and the woman one day starts to dream of having a party...Outside it was snowing and snowing and the wind was blowing. And the little old woman said, "I'm mighty lonely here with just you and the chickens for company. I'd like to give me party and have plenty of folks in."

And the little old man said, "What's the matter with you, woman? Are you daft? We don't know a soul to invite to a party. And if we did know a soul, who would come to a party through all this wind and snow?"

Well, when the storm grows worse and cars begin to get snowed in on the road, people do come a knocking and soon enough, a party is hatched with cakes, critters and more.

The story has been reillustrated over the years because it is a great one with repetition for humorous effect, a sweet finish and the simplicity that children crave. These illustrations, however, are the real winner for me. Wonderful black line drawings that remind me of pictures from one of my other favorite finds, Little Boy Brown. Uncomplicated strokes, yet every character's face is unique and nuanced. So glad this chilly little treat found me on such a hot Texas day.
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How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse Got Together
The Giant Story