The Snowman
Written and illustrated by Raymond Briggs
Verdict:
This wordless, wintery picture book classic is perfect for one-on-one reading sessions, inviting the reader and listener to interpret and explain the magical illustrations.
What is it about?
In this gentle, magical story with no words, a boy awakens to a snowy day and builds a large snowman. When he goes out at night to see it, the snowman has come alive. Together they find out what snowmen like and what they do not like, and then they have some grand adventures.
Our take:
Like the other wordless books we’ve recommended, this one offers a wealth of opportunity for children — or their parents or teachers or siblings — to tell a story in their own words. It’s a great way to build storytelling abilities, to notice sequencing, give personalities to characters, and practice expressiveness. The story’s soft, colored pencil illustrations invite the reader in and will spur imaginative interpretations.
A note of caution on the ending: the snowman goes the way of all snowmen on the very last page, melting away. Some children may find melancholy and distressing, after the adventures preceding it. But this, too, is a gentle way to have discussions about big topics, and to note that stories can be happy overall, even if the ending is not.
Perfect fit for:
An enjoyable read for young and old, but especially for shared, one-on-one reading sessions with time to discuss and explore. Some parents even want to share the telling on alternate pages and see how the characters develop through their children’s interpretations. The concepts of fanatsy and magic can be addressed, as can the idea of dreams and imagination. Also, children can find incentives to create their own adventures or draw their own wordless story.
Discussion Starters
Have you ever built a snowman? If you could, how would it look?
What do snowmen like? What is dangerous for them?
Was the boy a friend to the snowman? Was the snowman a friend to the boy?
Did they do safe things or daring things? Is it all right to have daring adventures?
What hapened to the snowman at the end? Why? Was it still a happy story?
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