A snow-loving girl makes a dangerous wish in Dee’s picture book. youtuAmia, a young girl with fair skin and brown hair, lives in a town where everything is simple and everything is the same. She loves snow so much that on her birthday, “I wished I could eat all the snow I ever wanted.” When it snows, she gets her wish—and consumes all the snow in town. The townspeople are furious and demand that Amia be kept indoors when it snows. One fateful day the following winter, the town is hit by a dangerous blizzard. No one can get out until a small child remembers Amia’s superpower. This clever take on the theme of accepting others melds with another moral lesson: the importance of using your passion for the good of your community. Dee uses short, simple sentences to make the story accessible for young readers; the full-color illustrations, done in collaboration with Das, blend realism and whimsy, much like the story itself. Though the village’s houses and streets are identical, the people are very diverse: The concerned citizens have several different skin tones, and at least one resident wears a hijab. Amia and her sister are depicted looking very like each other but quite different from their father, suggesting that they are a blended or adoptive family.
WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Editors Pick! Book Life: Life in Tuttle Town is uncomplicated—straight streets, equal-sized houses, and neighbors who all know each other—until a little girl named Amia makes a wish on her birthday that changes her life—and Tuttle Town—forever. Amia loves everything about snow, especially eating it, and looks forward to each snowstorm that heads her way. But when her birthday wish to “eat all the snow I ever wanted” comes true, and the snow from the most recent storm disappears before the townspeople wake up, Amia’s suddenly an outcast, and a town meeting is called to warn her that she can never eat snow again.
This charming wintertime story highlights the importance of appreciating others’ strengths, as Amia’s penchant for eating snow goes from being a disaster to a superpower when an epic storm buries Tuttle Town. The townspeople have a sudden change of heart, prompting them to beg Amia to eat the snow trapping them in their homes—to which she immediately obliges, saving the day and changing her status from a “Snow Monster” to “a gift to [the] town.” Readers may long for more insight into Amia’s point of view, particularly her feelings when the town banishes her to the inside of her home during her favorite season, but Dee (The Dirt Girl) still crafts an emotionally resonant narrative, and Tuttle Town is vibrantly rendered in jeweled tones and crisp colors in the immersive digital illustrations from Dee and Chandrani Das, effectively evoking the small town feel, especially with the twee cottages sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods.
Younger readers will relish Amia’s imaginative talent, and Dee’s simple lesson of self-worth, paired with a reminder to be sensitive to others, lands well. Just as Amia learns to value her individuality, the townspeople must also learn to embrace the strengths of even their youngest residents. There’s no snow necessary to appreciate this heartfelt ode to self-acceptance.
Takeaway: A birthday wish gone wrong leads to a lesson on embracing personal strengths.
5 Star Review by Amy Louise Hill for Readers’ Favorite
The Snow Monster by Jodi Dee is a picture book for young children that tells an unusual story of a young girl named Amia who made a wish on her birthday. Amia loved snow and her wish was to be able to eat all the snow in the world. Amia couldn’t believe that her wish had been granted and headed outside to use her new superpower. But unfortunately for Amia, her neighbors reacted badly to her eating all the snow as there wasn’t any left for the other children to play in. Amia was banned from going outside in the winter and had to spend her birthdays indoors, watching the other children playing happily outdoors. One day, the town went into emergency mode, and Amia’s power was needed to save her neighbors. What do you think happened to the neighborhood? Find out in this charming book.
The Snow Monster by Jodi Dee was a pleasure to read. It is unlike any other story that I’ve encountered, and that’s what kept me interested. I was more intrigued with each page I read. I loved every word and I know children will too. The writing is simple yet descriptive, which allows you to easily imagine the scenes in your head. The illustrations by Chandrani Das are adorable and gave me a Christmassy feel. This book will make the perfect bedtime story or boredom breaker. Children are going to love it and I hope I get the chance to read more from this incredible author soon. Keep up the great work, Jodi, and stay creative.
Media Contact
Jodi Dee, Jodi Dee Publishing, 1 508-922-9154, [email protected], www.jodidee.com
Shaun Stacy, APG Sales & Distribution, 1 (843) 847-6626 , [email protected], http://apg-sales.com/Home.aspx
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SOURCE Jodi Dee Publishing
