THE SNOWMAN CODE, by Simon Stephenson and Reggie Brown, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)
A snowman and a girl strike up an unlikely friendship as they work to end to the longest winter ever in The Snowman Code, by Simon Stephenson and Reggie Brown.
Article II of the Snowman Code: A snowman always helps a child in need.
It’s March, but the ground is still covered in snow, the lake in the park is still frozen over, and ten-and-a-half-year-old Blessing has three problems:
Problem #1: Blessing hasn’t gone to school in months. She just can’t stand those bullies, the Driplet Triplets, so her only solution to avoiding them is to pretend she and her mom moved to Australia.
Problem #2: Blessing’s mom gets sad in the winter. So sad she doesn’t go to work and sometimes doesn’t get out of bed.
Problem #3: The city is experiencing its longest ever winter, with no end in sight. And the longer it goes on, the longer her mom’s sadness does too. If spring doesn’t come soon and other grown-ups find out her mom is too sad, they’ll be separated again.
Just as Blessing starts to lose hope, she meets an unexpected new friend: Albert Framlington, a six-hundred-year-old snowman who just might hold the key to solving all three of her problems. But Albert has a problem of his own he may need a human’s help to solve.
Can this unlikely duo find a way to defeat Blessing’s bullies, win back Albert’s long-lost love, and overcome the never-ending winter before it’s too late? They have to try—that’s the Snowman Code after all. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
The Snowman Code is a magical lower middle-grade novel filled with humor and heart.
At the center of the story is Blessing, a girl whose been trying to find solutions to her mom’s depression and bullying. It’s hard to juggle everything, and when Albert presents solutions, it’s not hard to believe in living snowmen, because they might just change everything.
Blessing is a strong main character with a surprisingly positive attitude. And Albert is just the right amount of absurd to make readers laugh.
The best part of The Snowman Code is author Simon Stephenson’s voice, which has a brightness to it that just feels right with this story. Reggie Brown’s black-and-white illustrations add to the fun.
The Snowman Code is a sweet, snowy adventure that should appeal particularly as a read-aloud to kids ages 7-10.
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