Katy and the Big Snow

Katy and The Big Snow
Written by Virginia Lee Burton
Published at Houghton Mifflin Books

About the book

Katy, a brave and untiring tractor, who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter, makes it possible for the townspeople to do their jobs.

In 2009, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Virginia Lee Burton's birth. As part of this celebration a glitter-cover edition of Katy and the Big Snow, complete with snowy stickers, has been created. In this enduring winter favorite from the Caldecott Medal winner Burton, Katy the snowplow finally gets her chance to shine when a blizzard blankets the city and everyone is relying on Katy to help dig out. This new paperback is perfect for gift giving. Children love sharing Katy’s shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her “chug, chug, chug” endurance.

Who is Virginia Lee Burton?

Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) was the talented author and illustrator of some of the most enduring books ever written for children. The winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal for THE LITTLE HOUSE, Burton's books include heroes and happy endings, lively illustrations, and a dash of nostalgia. She lived with her two sons, Aristides and Michael, and her husband George Demetrios, the sculptor, in a section of Gloucester, Massachusetts, called Folly Cove. Here she taught a class in design and from it emerged the Folly Cove designers, a group of internationally known professional artisans. She is the author of many classic children's picture books, including MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL and KATY AND THE BIG SNOW.

My Thoughts

Here’s a classic book with a beautiful story in it.   The main reason I requested this book  to review is that I have a lapbook based on it and I didn’t own the book.  Mind you I could have taken it from the library but it is quite popular among homeschoolers and it is frequently out. 

Katy is a red tractor that can be transformed into a bulldozer and a snowplow if needed.  But Katie is barely used during the summer because usually there isn’t enough snow for her to plow.   However, one day a HUGE snow storm hit the city and Katie was needed.   She helped everyone in the city and plowed all the streets to help the people to circulate during the storm.

The illustrations have not changed much since the first publication of the story back in 1943.   I love it when old stories get re-published for the pleasure of a new generation of children.   The story is simple yet fun to read.   Perfect for kids in PreK to grade 3.

If you are interested in getting the lapbook of Katy and the Big Snow, you can purchased it at CurrClick.  The lapbook is a creation from In The Hands of a Child.

Katy and the Big Snow is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.