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Snowy Farm
A magical and lyrical fantasy about a family of farmers who live in a shimmering, frosty house in a snowy white world, where warmth of each other is all they need to be cozy and happy.
There’s a snowy white windmill
on a snowy white farm
with a frosty old house
and a snow covered barn.
And so begins this enchanting story of a family in a frozen land whose quiet and simple way of family life is all they need. This fantastical picture book from debut author Calvin Shaw and internationally renowned illustrator Oamul Lu is sure to warm hearts and become a perennial family favorite.
There’s a snowy white windmill
on a snowy white farm
with a frosty old house
and a snow covered barn.
And so begins this enchanting story of a family in a frozen land whose quiet and simple way of family life is all they need. This fantastical picture book from debut author Calvin Shaw and internationally renowned illustrator Oamul Lu is sure to warm hearts and become a perennial family favorite.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 11, 2019
I'm sorry, but this is just stupid. I'm losing patience with some children's books these days. In this case, the ridiculous premise is made worse by not including the author's note at the beginning, leading to the impression that this is culturally appropriative and grossly inaccurate... when it's really just weak fantasy.
The problem is that this is--according to the author's note--an imagined idea of what it might look like for a family to live in Antarctica. But then the people are drawn in a way that makes them look like they're Inuit... and it all goes downhill from there as they're shown harvesting snow apples, feeding snow carrots to their animals, raising chickens (who wear earmuffs), and making snow angels with the goat. But they're also shown building structures out of snow blocks and eating locally caught fish. It's impossible to tell what's real and what's imagined. The Dutch-style windmill on the first page was the first big clue that something was amiss, but some of the other details were realistic, making it difficult to sort out what was real. (I'm also not a fan of the mother being the cook for the family and the father doing the farm work. If this is fantasy, why are rigid gender stereotypes still enforced here?)
I do not like the pictures, either. They're too rough for my taste. And I just don't get all the animals wearing human accessories. Why would you bring animals from a temperate climate if you're going to go live in the coldest place on earth? (It could've gone full-on fantasy and had the family raising penguins instead of chickens and using reindeer instead of horses. You know, cold-climate creatures to go with the cold climate. At least then it would've made more sense.)
This was a total miss for me. It either needed to be more reality-based or more clearly fantasy. This is too realistic, and it's going to be confusing for some readers... especially since they won't encounter the author's note until after they've already read this head-scratcher.
The problem is that this is--according to the author's note--an imagined idea of what it might look like for a family to live in Antarctica. But then the people are drawn in a way that makes them look like they're Inuit... and it all goes downhill from there as they're shown harvesting snow apples, feeding snow carrots to their animals, raising chickens (who wear earmuffs), and making snow angels with the goat. But they're also shown building structures out of snow blocks and eating locally caught fish. It's impossible to tell what's real and what's imagined. The Dutch-style windmill on the first page was the first big clue that something was amiss, but some of the other details were realistic, making it difficult to sort out what was real. (I'm also not a fan of the mother being the cook for the family and the father doing the farm work. If this is fantasy, why are rigid gender stereotypes still enforced here?)
I do not like the pictures, either. They're too rough for my taste. And I just don't get all the animals wearing human accessories. Why would you bring animals from a temperate climate if you're going to go live in the coldest place on earth? (It could've gone full-on fantasy and had the family raising penguins instead of chickens and using reindeer instead of horses. You know, cold-climate creatures to go with the cold climate. At least then it would've made more sense.)
This was a total miss for me. It either needed to be more reality-based or more clearly fantasy. This is too realistic, and it's going to be confusing for some readers... especially since they won't encounter the author's note until after they've already read this head-scratcher.
December 15, 2019
A family lives on a snowy farm where it's too cold to grow anything, so the farmer harvests icicle carrots and snowball apples. The animals enjoy the snow and even make their own snow angels along with the children.
A nice read, but it's rather weird. The author end note explains that he's imagining what it would be like to live indefinitely on Antarctica, but I wish that had been at the beginning. While the rhymes are nice the illustrations are confusing (the animals are wearing earmuffs - sometimes) and, for an imagined story, I was uncomfortable with the family looking very Inuit. It just doesn't work for me, and I think it would be confusing.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
A nice read, but it's rather weird. The author end note explains that he's imagining what it would be like to live indefinitely on Antarctica, but I wish that had been at the beginning. While the rhymes are nice the illustrations are confusing (the animals are wearing earmuffs - sometimes) and, for an imagined story, I was uncomfortable with the family looking very Inuit. It just doesn't work for me, and I think it would be confusing.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
February 7, 2020
I'm not comfortable with the family's Inuit appearance pretending to live on Antarctica. It's too much of a stretch for children to understand, too. Definitely pass on this one.
November 18, 2019
A great look at life on the Antarctic continent.
Representation.
Representation.
November 22, 2019
A cheery, fantastical tale about a farm family who lives in a frosty house in a snowy white world.
May 20, 2019
Cute rhyming text with beautiful illustrations.
February 17, 2020
Snowy Farm by Calvin Shaw, illustrated by Oamul Lu, PICTURE BOOK A Paula Wiseman Book (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), 2019. $18. 9781534410473
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A family lives on a snowy farm where it's too cold to grow anything, so the farmer harvests icicle carrots and snowball apples. The animals enjoy the snow and even make their own snow angels along with the children.
A nice read, but it's rather weird. The author end note explains that he's imagining what it would be like to live indefinitely on Antarctica, but I wish that had been at the beginning. While the rhymes are nice the illustrations are confusing (the animals are wearing earmuffs - sometimes) and, for an imagined story, I was uncomfortable with the family looking very Inuit. It just doesn't work for me, and I think it would be confusing.
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A family lives on a snowy farm where it's too cold to grow anything, so the farmer harvests icicle carrots and snowball apples. The animals enjoy the snow and even make their own snow angels along with the children.
A nice read, but it's rather weird. The author end note explains that he's imagining what it would be like to live indefinitely on Antarctica, but I wish that had been at the beginning. While the rhymes are nice the illustrations are confusing (the animals are wearing earmuffs - sometimes) and, for an imagined story, I was uncomfortable with the family looking very Inuit. It just doesn't work for me, and I think it would be confusing.
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
December 20, 2019
Snowy Farm is sweetly charming look at one family’s life on their picturesque snowy farm. Whimsical fantasy, fun rhymes, and lovely wintry scenes will delight readers of all ages!
Read
January 19, 2020For the right reader this fantastical, imaginary world will be a good read. Interesting art. Afterwards informative
January 15, 2026
If people lived on Antarctica and could farm on the snowy land it might look something like the family in this book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews