Squirrel has never seen it snow, and this year he is determined not to miss it. He wants his friends, Hedgehog and Bear, to see it snow too, but i...
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Dec 17, 2010
Abigail
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Originally published in German as Herr Eichhorn und der erste Schnee (literally, "Mr. Squirrel and the First Snow"), Sebastian Meschenmoser's delightful picture-book follows the story of a squirrel who has never seen snow, and who decides that this is the year he will correct the omission. His efforts to remain alert, while "waiting for winter," awaken a prickly hedgehog, who joins him in his vigil. When squirrel and hedgehog's sea shanties bring bleary-eyed bear to them, sud
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Dec 29, 2010
Crystal
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Waiting for Winter is a book both my daughter and I enjoyed. As I mentioned before in a previous review, she had seen snow for the first time this year. So she loves anything snow related right now. It was a humorous read. We enjoyed the animals waiting to see the first snowfall. It was hilarious to see their different ideas of what snow might be. I wasn’t sure at first about the illustrations but as it went on I understood. I especially enjoyed the last illustration which in my book was part
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Dec 13, 2010
Ronyell
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I was reading this book for the Children’s Book Group and I will admit it was an extremely cute book. “Waiting for winter” is a children’s book by Sebastian Meschenmoser which is about how a squirrel, a hedgehog and a bear trying to wait for snow to fall for the winter. “Waiting for winter” is a truly irresistible book that you just cannot put down anytime soon!
When Squirrel heard Deer saying that winter is almost here and that it is going to snow, Squirrel wanted to know what snow More...
When Squirrel heard Deer saying that winter is almost here and that it is going to snow, Squirrel wanted to know what snow More...
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Nov 22, 2010
Green Bean
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Squirrel is watching for white, for wet, for cold and for soft. Squirrel is watching for snow and he won't hibernate without it! His scurried attempts to stay awake disrupt the slumber of Hedgehog,who wouldn't mind catching a snowflake or two himself, so the two croon sea shanties to pass the time til snowfall. Their ruckus gets Bear involved (the rumpliest, grumpiest, most whiskery bear I've seen of late), who worries that the first flake might already have fallen! The three scour the earth for
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Jul 23, 2009
Elizabeth
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My reviewing process is very neat and orderly. As I read books I place them on my To Be Read shelf, where they are cataloged by those most likely to get a review to those least likely. Everything has its place. Some titles wait months before I get to them. But once in a great while, if I'm lucky, I run across a book so spectacular that I have to review it immediately. Waiting for Winter was that book. Now if I say the name Sebastian Meschenmoser to you, does it ring any bells? No? Well, the man
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Jan 06, 2010
The Library Lady
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Meschenmoser doesn't seem to have decided what sort of book he was writing? A beautiful Jim Arnoskyish sort of nature story? A funny story about a squirrel who hasn't seen snow?
Perhaps Meschenmoser doesn't know much about squirrels, but tree squirrels DO see snow. They don't hibernate--just ask the ones driving my cats crazy as they frolic in the snow behind my house. So squirrel SHOULD know the difference between snow and an old sock, or a toothbrush.
The art is beautiful More...
Perhaps Meschenmoser doesn't know much about squirrels, but tree squirrels DO see snow. They don't hibernate--just ask the ones driving my cats crazy as they frolic in the snow behind my house. So squirrel SHOULD know the difference between snow and an old sock, or a toothbrush.
The art is beautiful More...
Dec 11, 2009
RachelAnne
rated it:
Squirrel has never seen snow, so he decides to wait and watch for this “white and wet and cold and soft” stuff… But it still hasn’t snowed a few minutes later, and squirrel starts having trouble staying awake. His frantic efforts to stay awake with exercise and then sea shanties rouse first Hedgehog, then Bear, both of whom are also captivated by the idea of seeing snow. When one of them suggests that maybe the first snow has already fallen, they set off in search of something that matches the
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Nov 15, 2011
Susie
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Hands down, some of the most entertaining illustrations in a children's book, especially if you're a fan of squirrels, pokey hedgehogs are really, really grumpy bears. The details were fabulous, especialy the random bits of forest debris that are forever stuck on the hedgehog. But what really stands out about this book are the facial expressions of the characters. They're so perfectly visualized in the simple pencil drawings. There's a great scene where the bear has just been woken up from hiber
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Jan 13, 2010
lori!
rated it:
One of the most hilarious, most expressive, most well done pictures books I've read. Squirrel is determined to stay up this winter to watch the first snowfall. His vigorous exercises (because waiting for snow is not very thrilling) wake Hedgehog, who decides to watch with him. Their heartily sung sea shanties wake Bear, who also joins them in the watch. But what if they have already missed the first snowflake? They decide to search for each, and each animal comes up with something wet, whit
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Feb 12, 2012
Paul
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What a delightful book for children and us adults. Meschenmoser's deft hand renders the animals scruffy and captures the scrabbly woods ready-for-winter woods. The animals alone have the little color in the book, while they together wait for coming snow. Several of the two-page panels are worth the price of the book, including 1) the squirrel running up and around the tree, capturing what it is like to look at a squirrel in overdrive and in six places at once; and 2) looking down from the tre
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Feb 23, 2010
Tricia
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My 6yo was laughing out loud at this book, especially the toothbrush snow. I think he really wanted to see sock snow - but alas, it was not to be. (Oops, is that a spoiler? Sorry.) We talked about the drawing style (it seems to get progressively sophisticated through the book), and the interactions between the animals, and what was happening on the wordless pages. I had read it once before we read it together, and I must say that his delight improved my outlook on the book. All in all, we thoro
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Nov 20, 2009
Alyson
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I loved this book! I thought it would be another serious, but beautiful winter book like The Longest Night or Stranger in the Woods A Photographic Fantasy, but then the toothbrushes started flying! Confused? Read this and understand.
I also loved the rudely awoken bear. Every preschooler who has woken up their parents one too many times will recognize the bear. More...
I also loved the rudely awoken bear. Every preschooler who has woken up their parents one too many times will recognize the bear. More...
Dec 03, 2010
Lisa
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Start off with the endearing fuzziness of the unusual and outstanding illustrations, add in some humor, and animals, and friendship, and wintry wonderfulness, and you get this magnificent picture book.
Appropriate for a wide age range of kids, and adults too, this is a special book. Told in very few words, with some pages taken up entirely by pictures, it has a lovely and humorous story.
One animal after another waits for winter snow, squirrel first being alerted by deer. S More...
Appropriate for a wide age range of kids, and adults too, this is a special book. Told in very few words, with some pages taken up entirely by pictures, it has a lovely and humorous story.
One animal after another waits for winter snow, squirrel first being alerted by deer. S More...
11 comments
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Dec 14, 2010
Kathryn
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I really enjoyed this book about a squirrel waiting for his first winter--especially the first sign of winter, a snowflake! But with his limited knowledge of what makes a snowflake, he and his woodland friends mistake other things for snowflakes. Will the REAL winter ever come!? (Of course, but half the the fun is in the "waiting")
The book is funny and warm and sweet and surprising and just an all around delight to read. I loved the details and the humor and the gentle More...
The book is funny and warm and sweet and surprising and just an all around delight to read. I loved the details and the humor and the gentle More...
4 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Jan 09, 2012
Jordan
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The illustrations in this book are, get this: Life. Changing. Really, they're amazing and made me giggle so loudly that I am pretty sure the woman across from me was giving me the evil eye. All is well, though. I did not give her one back because I assumed she was not familiar with the splendor that comes alongside reading this spectacular title. If you're looking for a quickly accessed smile that will last you all day, definitely pick up a copy of Waiting for Winter!
Dec 07, 2010
Jennifer
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100% top-notch, A1, beautiful, funny, even a little touching. Everything a picture book should be. The art is really something to behold--you'll find yourself wondering how Meschenmoser can draw so precisely with such a scribbly style, but he does. The animals look like they're supposed to--lively, with realistic anatomy, and yet with poses that communicate a tremendous range of emotion. Definitely a work of art as well as a fun read.
Dec 21, 2010
Jenny
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Loved this winter book. Must admit that at first glance I didn't think I'd like the illustrations in this book...but as you read they are perfect for the story. And the animals (squirrel, hedgehog and bear) who are waiting for snow are so funny. I love seeing them try to stay awake...and especially what they find that they think might be snow and their imagination of what snow fall might be like. Just a delightful picture book!
Jan 19, 2010
Chrissy
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Three friends wait for the first signs of winter with excitement and wonder. Squirrel, Hedgehog and Bear are usually sleeping when the first snow comes, so they decide to stay up this year and see what all the fuss is about. The illustrations are beautiful, soft and have just the right tone for a crisp fall woods and drifting snowflakes. The friends confusion about what exactly the snow will look like adds humor and fun to the story.
Mar 17, 2011
liked this book. It was a great book to interest my boys, although I think girls would like it, too. It has the bones to be a very funny book in the hands of a willing narrator. I was happy that my sons enjoyed it. Some of the illustrations are “scrappy” – very good, but also very busy(pencil illustrations with spots of color). I was worried that the scene would get lost in all the business of the illustrations, but it worked out fine. I was really impressed, actually, at how much expression the
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Nov 14, 2009
Becky
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This might be my new favorite "winter's coming" book. The loose, sketchy illustrations are spot-on. Meschenmoser makes great use of wordless spreads and comics-like sequences. He draws the most expressive squirrel I've ever seen. What *would* snow look like if you were trying to recognize it, but had only heard the description "white and wet and cold and soft"?
Look for a fun visual joke on the final endpapers.
Look for a fun visual joke on the final endpapers.
May 16, 2011
Catherine
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I LOVE this picture book. It’s about a squirrel, a hedgehog, and a bear waiting for winter. A common picture book storyline, perhaps, but not at all tired in this book. The text is cute and clever but the drawings steal the show. The scruffy little faces on his characters brim with emotion. Meschenmoser’s funny text and lively sketches are unique and captivating and definitely worth searching for.
Nov 23, 2009
Destinee
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The art is gorgeous. Maybe, I thought at first, a little too grown up, but its sophistication is balanced by all the jokes landing perfectly. Squirrel, hedgehog, and bear try to stay awake to the see the first snow, only none of them know what snow looks like. A toothbrush? A tin can? A dirty sock? When the snow falls and the animals retire, they leave a surprise for passersby. Just delightful.
May 27, 2010
Jane
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Love, love, love this picture book. Funny, whimsical, with fantastic illustrations. Translated from the original German, I can see why this book was chosen to cross the Atlantic.
The story follows three animals, who typically hibernate through the winter, waiting to see what snow looks like. They conjecture as they wait, and come up with some silly ideas until... it snows...
The story follows three animals, who typically hibernate through the winter, waiting to see what snow looks like. They conjecture as they wait, and come up with some silly ideas until... it snows...
Jan 11, 2010
Rachael
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I loved the sketchy quality of the illustrations, and I adored the story. Sea shanties! Toothbrush snow! Grumpy bear. Also: I love squirrels. This is an incredibly realistic depicition of a squirrel. I heard there are more Meschenmoser books that haven't made it into English, but I hope thsi one will be successful enough for the others to be translated as well. I did my part.
Jan 31, 2011
Judi
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I read this to a first grade class last week and they LOVED it. A variety of forest creatures are waiting for winter, and all they know for sure is that it will be wet, and white, and cold, and soft. They find a few things that seem to meet their criteria, but not one is really snow. Kids will love the silly, detailed pictures. This one is a winner.
Feb 28, 2011
Tricia
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Woodland animals await the snowfall in this brilliantly illustrated story by Sebastian Meschenmoser. My audience squealed with giggles over squirrel's antics, hedgehog's confusion and bear's grumpy expressions. When the first flake falls, the result is magical. This is a nice addition to a winter storytime line-up.
Jul 26, 2010
Molly
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At first, I was so put off by the illustrations I almost gave up. Then I came to the first spread of just squirrel, when he runs the gamut of emotions while waiting for snow...I was hooked. I love the detail and the humor in this work. I'm not sure about kid appeal, but I think a lot will depend on the reader. I'll take it home and find out.
Feb 01, 2011
Ellen
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A recent addition to my "December Readalouds" shelf. My first reaction was somewhat tepid, but after reading it to several classes I became quite fond of it. The sepia toned illustrations are just right for the time of year when the tree branches are bare and the ground is brown and we wait for snow to lighten things up. Before reading the story, have the students think of words they would use to describe snow to someone who has never experienced it. Deer tells squirrel that snow is
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Aug 05, 2010
Christina
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This book is on the 2010 Capitol Choices list for Notworthy Titles for up to seven. The illustrations are primarily color pencil which make them soft and darling. The story is about squirrel, hedgehog and bear as they way to discover the first snowfall.
Jul 25, 2009
Doris
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This sweet book is an excellent book for young readers. I looked at the book as a way to help teach personification and peer pressure in an Intermediate School. The story is engaging and paced very well so that children of all ages can enjoy this tale.
