Reviewed by Lynn F. for Readers' Favorite

"A Starlit Snowfall" by Nancy Willard with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney is a re-issue of a children’s book originally titled "A Starlit Somersault Downhill". It has been written for children from 3 years old and up. While older children will be able to read it themselves, younger children will benefit from the book being read to them. It’s the story of a bear and a rabbit who are preparing for the winter season. Now we all know that bears hibernate in the winter but rabbits are in and out the year round. When Mr. Bear explains to the rabbit he has a cozy cave where they will stay warm and comfortable, the rabbit finally agrees, just until he is closed in and the bear is sleeping. The rabbit is hungry; he wants to run and play and not sleep the winter away as the bear is doing. So the rabbit leaves the warmth of the cave and frolics in the snow.

I have a passion about reading children’s books and it is so hard these days to find books that will interest young children. We need books such as these to get children back into the habit of reading. Written as poetry and each page boasting a full page watercolor illustration, it’s a beautiful blend of words and art that make the story come alive. A lesson to be learned here is that everybody is their own person. We all have different ideas, we all have different views, as we see this lesson from the bear and the rabbit. A bear naturally sleeps the winter away and he just figures that the rabbit also should do the same. The rabbit's life is not made to sleep but to be on the go all winter. Just as the bear could not change the rabbit or the rabbit the bear, neither can we change friends,siblings or others. I feel this is an excellent book for parents to read to their children. Recommended.