We’re all looking forward to spring, but here in the mountains we have snow flying and daffodils barely peeping out of the ground. The spring equinox begins late on March 19th, so until then let’s wallow a little in the excitement, and challenges, winter can provide.
I want to tell you about a terrific book called Blizzard by John Rocco, a story about a storm in his childhood in Rhode Island in 1978. He was 10 years old at the time, and tells the tale from the first snowflake during school to the arrival of the snowplows. He invites the reader into the experience both with words and with the lovely illustrations, full of detail and the mysterious quality of a big snow.
It sent me flying back in time to January, 1966. I was 14 years old and we lived in a rural area on 300 acres, five miles from town and a mile through the woods to any neighbors. Our two-day blizzard had us climbing out of windows because doors were blocked by snow drifts. We tied a rope from the house to the barn so we could tend to the horses and find our way back safely in the high winds. My mom and dad had words over who should eat the last of the oatmeal, the horses or the children. Best of all, school was closed for two whole weeks.
So, Blizzard really struck a chord with me. John Rocco takes us to a winter wonderland and succeeds in reminding us both of the fun and adventure of playing in the snow, but the difficulties dealing with it. The pages show his father shoveling mountains of snow just to get ready for the snowplows. He and his sister struggle through the drifts and they are glad to come in for hot chocolate, first made with milk, then with water when the milk runs out.
With the help of his Arctic Survival book he is able to fashion snowshoes from tennis rackets, and make his way to the grocery store. There is a beautifully detailed double foldout page showing his path through the streets, stopping to check in with neighbors on the way. We see the storekeeper on the phone with his parents to say he has arrived safely, and the delivery of necessities to different households as he returns home. And at the end when the snowplows finally arrive, the parents are pleased that school will be opening again. Children appreciate stories that are real, where they can imagine themselves fighting the elements or dealing with obstacles, and this is a fine example.
John Rocco’s books are on many “book of the year” lists, and his book Blackout won the Caldecott Honor. He is the illustrator of Rick Riordon’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and of Whoopi Goldberg’s Alice. He has worked for Walt Disney Imagineering where he designed attractions at Epcot, at Dreamworks as art director for Shrek, as well as art director for DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney. See more about his books and artwork at roccoart.com.
