Snow days!

What are you all up to on these unexpected days off school? On Monday, my daughter and I walked to the library. Yesterday, when the library was closed due to icy roads, we walked to a bookstore. Today we’re making a gingerbread house using the directions from one of our library books!

All this chilly weather reminds me of one of my very favorite wintertime books, Snow by Uri Shulevitz. The simplicity and beauty of this book perfectly evoke the wonder of the first winter snowfall. Shulevitz is a talented artist whose luminous paintings have graced many exquisite picture books.

While it is not a Thanksgiving holiday book, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney is an ideal read for this time of year. It's about a boy who chafes at spending his summer vacation stuck in his boring hometown. He yearns to take off for more exotic destinations and see the Seven Wonders of the World. His father makes a deal: if he can find seven wonders - one for each day of the week - right there at home, he'll get a train ticket out of town to visit relatives.

Birney is hugely popular for her Humphrey the hamster series, but this little gem of hers is sometimes overlooked. Try it out this Thanksgiving and start paying attention to the everyday wonders that surround us all.

Wishing you and your families a safe and happy Thanksgiving!