The Snow Globe Family

by Jane O'Connor

Oh, when will it snow again? wonders the little family who lives in the snow globe. They long for a snowstorm? if only someone in the big family would pick up the snow globe and give it a shake. Baby would love to. She notices the little family, but the snow globe is too high for her to reach. But then Baby is alone during a snowstorm. Will the snow globe family get a chance to go sledding, too?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Fantasy, Christmas, Fiction, Storytime

48 pages, Library Binding

First published September 7, 2006

About the author

Since the publication of Fancy Nancy, Jane O'Connor's closet now boasts so many boas, tiaras, and sparkly ensembles that sometimes friends do not recognize her on the street. She still resides (that's a fancy word for lives) in New York City with her family and their canine companion, Arrow. --from the publisher's website

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an adorable story about a family going about their business at the dinner table while the baby in the family has his eyes fixed on a snow globe up on the mantle. Nobody pays attention to the snow globe anymore and inside the snow globe, a similar little family wishes for a snow storm like in the old days--a storm that brings them snowmen and sledding down hills. One day, the baby finally gets the chance to climb up to the mantle and grab the snow globe. Will the snow globe family finally get the storm they've been asking for?

We loved this book! It's such an imaginative story. I've always had a love for snow globes and I remember as a child imagining that the people inside were real. Such fun. This is a perfect book to add to your children's winter collection.

5*****

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved snow globes when I was a kid. I always seemed to have one or two of them. One I had from about age five and I don’t remember what happened to it, but I know I still had it when I was in high school. So, I expected this book might be my cup of tea, and it was.

I love how the story and its characters reflect the “normal psychosis” of very young children, of attributing feelings and cognition to what are really just objects. But young children will identify and older children and adults will have their memories refreshed.

This story has two sets of characters, the family members in the big house and the family members in the snow globe. I like how it’s the babies who are the observant ones and how it’s a baby that makes things happen.

When things do happen, oh how fun, and funny, it is. It’s a charming story.

The illustrations are great. While I wish the style were just somewhat different (I could see the illustrations being more “magical”) I did really enjoy them. And what goes on in them is a hoot! The pictures are amusing, sweet, and wonderfully wintry. However, the falling snow is lacking in the snow globe at one point, but perhaps that’s because the reader is looking at an indoor scene. I missed the falling snow though; that was the most fun thing about snow globes.

I think this is my last winter book of 2010, and I’m really glad that it wasn’t a holiday related book.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students enjoyed the unique perspective of having a family live in a snow globe.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love miniature worlds and doll families and this is such a fun variation. Clever and cute with lots of wintery atmosphere.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two families live side by side in this winter picture-book from Jane O'Connor, creator of the immensely popular Fancy Nancy character. One family, consisting of a mama, a papa, a boy, a girl, and Baby, lives in a big house on a hill; while the other, also consisting of a mama, a papa, a boy, a girl, and Baby, lives inside the snow globe sitting on the parlor mantel of the "big" family's house. The children of both families long for a snowstorm, something dependent upon the weather outside, for the big family, and upon the big family noticing them, for the snow globe family.

Although I wouldn't say that The Snow Globe Family was destined to become one of my particular favorites, I did find the dual narrative entertaining, and appreciated the fact (like the friend who recommended it to me) that it was the two babies that seemed most aware, of all the characters. The artwork, done in colored ink and gouache, was cute, but given the subject matter, I would have preferred to see more snowy scenes. Still, snow globe lovers will undoubtedly get a kick out of this one, as will any young child who dreams of snow, or enjoys tales of miniature people.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what to make of this one. It's a weird little story. I can sort of see where the author was trying to go with it, but it made me a little uncomfortable having to watch an unsupervised baby climbing around on the furniture near the fireplace.

Basically, there's a family of five (dad, mom, brother, sister, and baby) who live in a house. On their mantel is a snow globe, and inside that snow globe is a house with a miniature family that mirrors the bigger one. One thing both families have in common is that they love the snow. The main difference is that, for the family in the snow globe, snow's arrival coincides with a massive earthquake (of course).

Baby (of the large family) is the only one who seems to notice the little people in the snow globe. One day when the dad, brother, and sister are out sledding in the snow, the mom and Baby are left behind. The mom goes to run Baby's bath, leaving the kid unattended in what is essentially a Victorian parlour. The kid immediately stacks up a bunch of stuff in front of the fireplace so she can climb up and shake the snow globe. Of course, she promptly falls off, and is shown landing unharmed on pillows (which is not exactly realistic, given that she's right beside a stone hearth and a bunch of metal tools like pokers). The snow globe family gets shaken up, and they end up with some lovely drifts on which to sled. Then the mom catches Baby and, seeming to have forgotten all about the bath, takes her outside to play in the snow.

This book leaves me with more questions than answers. Especially with that ending. What happens if the snow globe actually breaks? What will happen to the little family? Will all the magic leak out and they'll cease to live? Who knows? We're just supposed to sort of accept that they're there and that they exist... with no explanation for how this came to be.

The illustrations didn't impress me that much. They're kind of bland. I found myself looking at the text more than the pictures, which isn't necessarily a good thing in a picture book.

Overall, I wasn't that impressed. I picked this one up because it was by Jane O'Connor (author of the Fancy Nancy books, most of which I've enjoyed). But it lacks magic, even though it's supposed to be about a magical family that lives in a snow globe. I don't think I'd recommend this one.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this book tonight and we loved it! Nate made me read it twice, and then he wanted to take it to bed and 'read' it again like the big kids do before shutting off the light :) I can't say no to that! A very cute story with a charming concept. Very well done. 5 stars!

[Donald Armfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be a great idea for a Twilight Zone show.

Some of us just hear stories of great blizzards, some of us have witnessed it. All the fun delights in piles of snow.

Imagine what a blizzard would be like if you lived in a snow globe. But had to wait such a long time collecting dust on a mantel.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute holiday book. The lesson? Shake your snow globes often!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute book. Every year I have my students make a snow globe with a picture of themselves inside and then write about what they would do if they were to live in one. This was a great book to help introduce this activity!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of logical flaws, but pretty fun and cute.

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tiny family who lives in the snowglobe reminisces about the olden days, when there were HUGE blizzards. They wish the big family would notice the shelved globe and shake it up again. Only the big family's baby notices them, to the eventual satisfaction of all. We love this book--its wonderful, detailed illustrations and its tribute to the magic of our own "olden days" when we took time to enjoy such things as a snowstorm, or a snowglobe, much more. Delightful on many levels.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clever. I plan to get this one for my collection.

[Charlotte S · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a big house on a big hill lives a big family. A mama, a papa, a boy, a girl, and Baby. In a small house in a small snow globe on the mantel lives a small family. A papa, a mama, a boy, a girl, and a little baby. Sometimes the small family tries to get the big family's attention, but no one but Baby sees. One day, the big family's town gets a huge blizzard! They all go outside. Everyone except Baby. She climbs on her papa's footstool net to the mantel, piling books and pillows on top. Then she climbs. The next thing the small family sees is two enormous eyes! What will happen next? 🌨

You probably already guessed what happened lol --This is such a cute book! It makes you think what could happen if the mini people in snow globes were alive! It's a great story and so creative!

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[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAHAHA! This is great fun. No wonder my lower primary teachers are requesting this book! The book is about the life of a family of 5 that lives inside the snow globe that has been forgotten on the mantle belonging to another family of 5. They enjoy living every day with snow on the ground but they are patiently waiting for the next big snowstorm. This book makes for a good platform to help children think of perspectives of others.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Such a wonderful winter children's book. I really loved it! The book tells a story of a family that has a snow globe and inside it has a tiny family. The family never notices the tiny family inside the snow globe except the baby. When she shakes the globe they get a tiny blizzard. It makes you wonder if the family is in a snow globe themselves? I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages especially during the winter season.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun, reading a picture book about a family who lives in a snow globe.

Such imagination, from authorJane O'Connor and illustrator S.D. Schindler! Here's a sample:

If only someone in the big family would shake the snow globe really hard and make a hill of snow. Then the little family could go sledding.

Wild imagination there!

This delightful story deserves FIVE STARS. And I'm so happy that I have them to give.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for a snowy day like today! Today our world is like a snow globe! The little family and the big family live parallel lives. Good review about what parallel means!


My class loved the little family. The picture are hilarious - especially when the snow globe is being shook and all the family goes flying. They also loved the small man in the tub getting flung out and the baby peering into the snow globe. He was HUGE!

[Maddie Gerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book because I think snow globes are cute and it shows a family inside so I was curious. I found the book to be cute, no educational value. I thought this would be a good book to read if it snows during school, or when winter comes. I have some fun activities that could go along with the book so I think it would still be cute to have in my classroom.

[Busy Mummy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story that would be great to use with a EYFS/KS1 class at this time of year ‘winter’. Great opportunities for discussion and literacy ideas to inspire imagination. The illustrations are beautiful and whimsical bringing out the subtle humor in the story and the entertaining perspectives of the miniature and real-life sized worlds criss-crossing together. A delight to read.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are matching families, one in the big house and one in the snowglobe. The only one in the big house that recognizes the snow globe family is the baby. I wasn't pulled into the story. I was expecting the big family to live in a snow globe too since they had been tossed around by big snowstorms just like the snow glove family.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little family who lives inside the snow globe longs for snowfall, but they sit on the mantle waiting for someone in the big family to give the globe a big shake, but their wishes go unfulfilled. When a snowfall occurs outside the big family's home, something unexpected occurs to the little family inside the snow globe.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a baby that is fixated on the snow globe on the shelf and wonders about the family in the snow globe. I liked this book because it shows the child using his imagination through the story and i think it is so important for students know that their creative imaginations can make them to beautiful things throughout life.

[Kristin Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how the actions of the family in the snow globe mirror the real family living in the house. Also, the Victorian setting makes this book special. The whole story could happen today, but the old-fashioned clothes and decor give it a little something extra. And I love a book with a good ending!

[Laura Sassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story will put you in a magical wintry mood. It's also a wonderful example of parallel story structure at it's finest. I read it for a story time with 4 - 8 years olds and we paired it with a wintry craft - paper cut-out snowflakes.

[Zazie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As cute as the story was, I don't think it's very smart to read a story to a child about an unsupervised baby doing anything that he/she shouldn't be doing. It's true! It gives kids too many ideas, to be quite honest.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family in a snow globe wants a snow storm and a family outside of the snow globe also want snow. They love to sled. It’s an adorable book that I accidentally came across and I’m very glad I did. My daughter really liked the story as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clever! A great winter read.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This clever book imagines a tiny world encased in a snow globe. Cute and magical.

[Kristin O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, imaginative read!