This is a cute book that goes over the seasons- specifically the snow. With all of the changes that occur, snow obviously doesn't last forever but the informative information about making a friend and conserving hope is a strong message that most toddlers are able to understand without going to far in depth with the situation.

31 months - This book had us talking about snow, ice and rain and how they are all made of water. O also asked if her snowman would come back next time it snowed which is too cute. ( )

Making a Friend

Allison McGhee

I liked this book for three reasons. First of all, the book is filled with imagery which allows the reader to feel as if he or she is in the book experiencing what is happening with the main character. The book follows a young boy who dreams of winter and building a snowman. The main character describes the setting as, “On a moonless night, starry snow drifts down.” The descriptive language paints a picture for the reader to imagine the senses portrayed within the text and to gain a sense of belonging with the boy. Second, the illustrations in the book are appropriate to the text and enhance an understanding of the story. The colorful, warm pictures in the story demonstrate what the main character is doing in the text. For example, the pictures show the young boy gathering the remains of the snowman in a bucket of water and watching rain fall down as the text says, “Look. He is in the falling water, and the rain upon the ocean.” Third, the main character is believable and relatable to the reader. The boy in this story, like many children, watches the first snow fall, makes snow angels, and plays outside until it is too dark. Audiences can relate to making memories in the snow and dreaming of its return. Overall, the main idea and message of the story is that what you love will always be with you. Although the snowman is only with the main character during the winter, the spirit of their friendship is always with him even when the snowman is not around. ( )

I really enjoyed reading this book. The first reason why I liked reading this book was because of the illustrations. I liked how the illustrations connected with the writing. I already knew what was occurring on each page due to looking at the pictures before I read the writing. There were also wordless pages contained in the book. I liked how the book incorporated this because I was able to construct meaning on my own. The second reason why I liked the book was because it pushed readers to think about tough times in life when they have lost a family member, friend, pet, etc. during childhood or adult life. It is hard to imagine life without a family member, friend, or pet, but their memories will always live in your heart. Even though they may be gone from the physical world, you can be reminded of them from your memories. In the book a snowman melted and the little boy asked where did he go? He then realized that he was in the falling water and the rain upon the ocean. Then main message of the story was that what you love will always be with you through life even if it is gone. ( )

In my opinion, "Making a Friend," by Alison McGhee is a good book overall. While the plot is not very involved, I really liked the lesson and the way the book was organized. In the beginning, the story was introduced and the main character created a snowman friend. Next, the story only contains illustrations for about 4 pages, allowing the reader to just focus on the illustrations and filling in the story for themselves before the words continue again. I also think the fact the the story has "step by step" illustrations really helps young readers understand the story. For example, when the main character is building his snowman, the illustrations show him step by step putting it together. Since some students, depending on the region, may not have experienced building a snowman, the pictures really show the experience in a complete and detailed way. In terms of the text, I liked how one phrase that the child had written on a photo of him and the snowman is repeated toward the end of the book. This phrase "what you love will always be with you," is shown after he thinks about where his snowman could be now that he has melted, again when the leaves change for the fall and he misses his snowman, and again when winter comes again and he builds another snowman the same way. This shows the true love the boy had for the snowman and emphasizes the way he feels by repeating this phrase. This is also a story that could happen today so many children may be able to relate. The big idea of this story was to value friendship while you can, as times and seasons change. ( )