No Two Snowflakes

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

How would you describe snow to someone who has never seen it? No Two
Snowflakes attempts to do just that. Disguised as a letter to a pen pal,
this delightful poem describes snow—all kinds of snow—from the
gentle, feathery flakes that drift down to melt on your tongue; to the
tiny needles of snow that sting your face; to the wet, packy snow
perfect for making snowmen and snowballs; to the last few dirty,
mud-spattered humps of snow waiting stubbornly for the sun to melt them
away. In her letter, Lou also describes the activities that snow
invites: tobogganing on sunshiny snow, moonlit walks on crust-coated
snow, discovering animals tracks left behind in the snow. But Lou knows
that you can’t truly know snow unless you’ve experienced it. She
also knows that we all live under the same sun and, just like people, no
two snowflakes are alike.

Although Lou feels inadequate in her attempts to describe snow, readers
will undoubtedly agree that Sheree Fitch has succeeded admirably.
Somehow she has been able to find just the right words to evoke the
sight, sound, taste, and feel of snow. Janet Wilson’s glowing
illustrations—from the grey flannel sky before a snowfall to the
indigo shadows on snow signaling time for supper—are a perfect
accompaniment to Fitch’s text.

In an afterword, Fitch tells us where she got the idea for her story.
We also learn that No Two Snowflakes was selected by UNICEF for use in
its program. Also included in the book are several activities designed
to help children learn to use their senses more fully. Highly
recommended.