Counting on Snow

by Maxwell Newhouse

Maxwell Newhouse, folk artist extraordinaire, has created a unique counting book. The premise is simple. He invites children to count with him from ten crunching caribou down to one lonely moose, by finding other northern animals - from seals to wolves to snowy owls - as they turn the pages. But as the animals appear, so does the snow, until it's a character too, obliterating light and dark, sky and earth.

A gorgeous exploration of the isolation and the beauty of northern winter, Maxwell Newhouse has created a deceptively simple picture book that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Counting, Childrens, Nature

24 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2010

About the author

MAXWELL NEWHOUSE is a highly accomplished folk artist whose work has been widely exhibited in galleries across Canada. He has illustrated the critically acclaimed The RCMP Musical Ride, written by the artist himself, as well as Laura Secord: A Story of Courage, Emily Carr: At the Edge of the World, Let’s Go for a Ride – a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award in Children’s Illustration – and The House That Max Built.

Reviews

[Stefani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the concept of the book: counting down from 10 with different arctic animals. However, the execution just wasn't there for me. Some of the wording was awkward ("7 trumpeter swans trumpeting"), and as the snow fell thicker, it was difficult to make out the animals. Okay for snow displays, but I'm not going to hand it to anyone.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this unassuming quiet just like the quietness of snow book!!! Don’t view it as a teaching counting book. It’s a lovely title from a Canadian illustrator and folk artist.

Yes, there is counting in this title, counting back from ten and no counting up to ten. Notice the use of the word ON in the title. The animals in this title are counting that it will snow. Here we have ten animals knowing it’s going to snow and as the pages unfold each very northern animal is experiencing more snow as well as doing something characteristic of their species. Great title to use with older children in a unit on Canada or animal behavior in winter, or the Arctic. Now off to learn more about musk oxen.

[Marisa]

I'm a sucker for any sort of book for kids that relates to the arctic. (Probably because it's feels like we should educate kids about it before everything melts away and fades from history *crying on the inside*)
Ecological crisis aside, the artwork in this board book is delightful, and I thought that the gradual increase in snowfall per animal was a neat touch.

(I would rate this title, but I have yet to figure out my personal rating standards for kids books, so I will say that it is "Great!")

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Arctic Landscape is the background for animals of the North in this counting book. As a blizzard rages on we discover 10 Caribou Crunching right down to 1 Moose barely visible within the quiet rage of snow. As a board book I think the very young would have a hard time finding the animals as each page gets more and more covered in white flakes. However it would work as a study of Northern climate.

[Dope Ghost Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I being too generous on this children's counting book from Canada that features the Winter, wolves, and other cold temperature dwelling animals? Maybe, but I don't care. This is one of my kid's favorites from their younger years and it's always been quite special. Revisited it briefly for this Winter because it's snowing harder than a son of a bitch outside AND it took only a minute to get through.

[molliekay · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher.*

This board book would be great reading one on one with a child. The snow creeping in little by little is almost imperceptible at first, but kids will get a kick out of seeing a blizzard move in. Counting on Snow has some great vocabulary and animals that are not common knowledge.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arty and minimalist counting book featuring Arctic animals and landscapes. It’s a short book where the focus is on the art. While I’ve never been to the Arctic, the snow scenes remind me of Saskatchewan. The artwork is lovely and will give an adult opportunity speak about perspective with children. I received this book as a gift for my son.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduces many animals found in the Canadian wilderness. For US preschoolers, this will be a great introduction to new vocabulary.

Counting fun and a discussion about how much more it is snowing in subsequent illustrations, until the end you can't see anything but snow.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the board book edition of this, so there was very little text. I agree with other reviewers that the heavier snowfall made the animals difficult to see -- by three owls I could hardly make out the owls at all. Kind of disappointing.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books with pictures of snowfall, so this one is an absolute winner for me. Also like the fact that it features arctic animals for a change of pace, and it was fun having to look a little to see them as the snow got thicker and thicker.

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

From ten crunching caribou (reindeer) to one silent moose, the arctic landscape and wildlife are beautifully captured with an abundance of snow on each page. A fun way to practice counting this week!

* library book; read at 2 years old

[ErinTheLibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book on the arctic, the pictures were so dark and a bit dreary. Each animal has 2 pages, each with different perpectives((4 hares huddling front view, then back view)

[Ms. Jeane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am just wondering how many children would really find this interesting, no bright colors, and it's a little boring. I put it in my library and haven't seen it checked out once....

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5)

[Gustavus Cliffe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have liked to give this one a higher rating, but the snow flurries made it sort of hard to use this as a good counting book.

[R. L. Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

No great, not bad, didn't love up to the cute cover XD

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was weird that all of the animals and their actions start with the same letter until the very last one?

[Christine Mccurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newhouse, M. (2010). Counting on snow. Canada: Tundra Books.
Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award/ Kirkus Review
Counting Book
This is a simple counting book, but unlike most books that count up, this book counts down from ten. The book counts down different animals that can be seen in the snow. While the illustrations are more realistic in nature, they are hard to see with all the snow in the way. This book would be ideal for a prek-1st grade class learning how to count backwards. I think book is cute, but there could be less snow.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The coldness of the north is beautifully apparent in this counting book which features arctic animals and a chilly white, blue and teal palate. As the snow comes down and the number of animals diminishes, it becomes harder and harder to distinquish the wildlife as it blends into the landscape, subltly teaching lessons of camouflage and scarcity.

[Poppy Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, wintry counting book. Counts the animals of Canada (musk ox, snowy owls, moose) using alliteration and paintings of the animals slipping, huddling, prowling to count backwards from ten to one as the snow increases.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK. It might be neat to study this book with One Wooly Wombat. Counting on Snow is about Canadian critters and One Wooly Wombat is about Australian animals.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations and lots of new vocabulary in this simple counting book. The book is on the smaller side and would be difficult to share with a group.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Progression through time the story starts at 10 and counts backward. As the story starts it is getting dark because the snow is coming and it is falling really hard by the end. Easy to read story.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toddlers and preschool

[Brandielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and serene counting book.