Snowflakes Fall

The story starts with “After the flowers are gone” and comes full circle with “And when the flowers bloom” revealing how the snowflakes melt and change into water that nourishes the earth and helps the seeds grow into beautiful spring flowers. Just like we have no control over where our voice travels, we have no control over where snowflakes land or change begins in our lives. Children are just like snowflakes, irreplaceable one-of-a-kind, and precious to behold and remember.MacLachlan’s poem and Steven Kellogg’s memorable illustrations normalizes and celebrates the power of change, childhood memories, deep loss and renewal through the natural cycle of seasonal life.SNOWFLAKES FALL is a wonderful grief and loss resource for parents and the classroom library to extend learning in the areas of Art, Language Arts, Science and Social studies. Some ideas I came up with while reading the story for Social Studies are to ask the question if your family, town or community hold special events during different seasons of the year. Does your town or community have fall festivals, corn mazes, and a great pumpkin race or grow the largest tomatoes, watermelons or pumpkins? During winter does your community have ice carving contests, ice fishing or swimming, community sing-a-longs or snowball fort building contests? Does spring season produce community gardens, best yard contests, or community wide clean-ups? In summer are there big birthday bashes for your town or country? Note the differences that take place during each season, cultural area and how change happens when we least expect it. Make comparisons of the things we can change (i.e. clothing, shoes and hair, food we eat) and what we can’t control (game outcomes, weather, & etc.) and how the changes make us feel.Science brings out a time to explore change and how ice crystals form in snow ice cream. Discuss how the liquid changes form when frozen and make comparisons with frozen water. Take shaved ice and look at it under a microscope, then take an ice cream crystal and look at it under a microscope. Discuss if they are different.Art and Language Arts take photographs during all four seasons of your environment. Write about the differences you notice. Build a snowman cut out of paper snowflakes. Write about your feelings while you were making a snowman out of paper. Draw a snow angel and write down what your wish would be if you could send the angel anywhere. Footprints in the snow is a great time to discuss how we see footprints during other times of the year (i.e. in the mud, wet sand or cement).

I bought this for my 2yo granddaughter for Christmas and I know she will love it! She adores dogs and there are so many dogs playing with the children. (Including an English Setter!) The story is simple and beautiful, and the illustrations are exquisite. I have read it through several times, and I cannot wait to share it with her.

This book is so beautiful, I can't wait to read it to my kindergarten class. It is one of Patricia Maclachlan's best! Steven Kellogg has certainly done another outstanding job illustrating this book. It shows the fun and wonder of winter through a child's eyes. Although snowstorms at night seem scary, in the morning when the sunshines, it is all better! It also reminds us that children like snowflakes, are unique, and no two are alike. The book was inspired by Steven Kellogg's love of the community of Sandy Hook where he lived and raised his family. It is certainly a tribute to the families of Sandy Hook!

Good quality, beautiful illustrations and great story.

As a fan of Steven Kellogg and neighbor of Sandy Hook, CT, I prepurchased Snowflakes Fall knowing it would be a good keepsake marking the great loss suffered last December.It is indeed beautifully illustrated, although I do agree with other reviews that the storyline is very simplistic. But it will be a good book to read to young children to focus on individuality and the beauty of snowfall.

Patricia and Steven have written such a touching story that helps all through a loss ....Steven's illustrations are so beautifully crafted with the special little tributes to Newtown that we will always treasure!Remembering when I took my children to his beautiful country side home on Halloween for candy and all of his visits to St. Rose drawing his characters and telling his stories to the children gathered before him....Snowflakes Fall also be include as another favorite treasure of mine!Judy MoellerBethlehem,Connecticut

This is a beautiful book. The simplicity of the story while saying so much. And I have always loved Steven Kellogg. His illustrations in the book are just want I love about his work. I gave this book to my granddaughter, who informed me she knows how to make snow angels.

This book was written in memory of the teachers and students who died at Sandy Hook Elementary School. the story was wonderful and the illustrations were outstanding. there is also a touching dedication page that brought tears to the eyes of everyone of us who read it to our children. in addition a portion of the royalties from this book go to the families of The sandy hook victims.