Just SNOW Already!

From Kirkus Reviews
Just snuggle up and read this one already!
When Dad announces that it might snow, a child spends the day constantly checking for falling flakes.
Everything reminds the young narrator of snow, even the milk and sugar at breakfast. Though the child’s sister doesn’t really care, the protagonist’s imagination runs wild with plans of sledding, snowball fights, and snowman building, but “absolutely NOTHING” is happening outside. The child doesn’t see what the readers do. It may not be snowing, but the neighborhood is bursting with activity: A parade of bicycles (including a unicycle and an old-fashioned penny-farthing) zips by, a firetruck arrives to rescue a cat in a tree, and a troop of monkeys gets loose from a van full of safari animals. Inside, the child tries to keep busy but worries that it will never snow—imagine having to “build mud men…and go sledding on the grass…and make leaf angels.” Late in the day, Mom suggests the child look outside again. This time, it’s snowing, and “Nothing is as fun as snow!” But reading this story is a close second. While the text captures the restless excitement of waiting for those first snowflakes, the humorously detailed cartoon illustrations are the draw. Each page turn reveals a new action-packed scene that will have kids coming back for repeat reads. Dad is light-skinned, Mom is darker-skinned, and their two children have light tan skin; their community is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

From Children’s Literature (CLCD)
This is a beautiful hardcover book that imparts the magic of snow to young children everywhere. The pictures alone are just the start. Watercolor, full-color depictions of a child waiting for snow, are enough to draw young children to this tale. In the story, a young boy waits and waits for snow, wondering what he will do if it never comes. He gets ready by dressing in his winter clothes, asking his mom to make it snow, keeping busy, etc., but nothing happens. Finally, when the little boy loses all hope that his wish will come true, it begins to snow, and he happily runs outside. The repetitive phrase that nothing was happening outside can be read with much emphasis, creating an element of drama and heightening the anticipation of snow. An excellent read for young elementary students in the wintertime to get them excited about snow! Highly recommended for readers ages five to ten.  –Polina Mann

From Foreword Reviews
A child impatiently waits for snow in this tongue-in-cheek picture book about living in the moment. Certain that “nothing is as fun as snow,” a little boy keeps peering out the window, awaiting the expected storm; with his eyes on the sky, he misses the increasingly strange happenings below. Playful illustrations slice between the boy’s boredom indoors and a wide shot of the street, where firemen, monster trucks, and wild animals gather—all as the boy declares: “nothing happening out there.” –Danielle Ballantyne (September / October 2023)

From Brad Fish, Library & Education Sales Representative at Independent Publishers Group (IPG)
I love Just SNOW Already! The story itself is fun and engaging. Two other things really stand out. The layering effect of the images really give the pages a 3-dimensional feel. The ‘stories within the story” makes this a really interesting read. The out on the street front side bar stories of motion that carry forward each page really encourage you to pay attention and create a desire to see what happens next. Actually it creates a dilemma – I want to know what happens next, but I don’t want to miss out on something else that is fun on this page. The sofa dilemma, the house painting, and all the animal antics details are fascinating. The sense of motion builds from page to page that finally becomes an explosion of activity. 
I can’t wait to read this with our granddaughter. 
This book belongs in every home and library.

From Edwards Book Club Reviews, Christa McGrath
Living in a northern climate where the winter months go on forever, I can’t help but wonder why anyone would say “Just snow already”.
But in McWilliam’s Just SNOW Already! a young boy is asking just that: he is wishing for snow the entire book. All he can think of is how much fun he can have in the snow (he is not wrong). In fact, he feels that he can’t possibly have any fun unless it snows (hmm…possibly true for a kid). And he is oh so bored waiting for it (I do recall childhood days of feeling excited about the first snowfall). He is so bored and disappointed that he misses out on everything else happening around him (he is brilliantly and comically blinded to anything not snow). Because, to him, nothing compares to the allure of snow … no matter what other BIG and AMUSING things are going on outside.
This is such a cute and entertaining children’s picture book. The pages are brimming with big, bold, and frame-worthy images. Children will just love exploring all this book has to offer. Every page brings a colorful surprise that is sure to ignite a happy and interactive conversation. Adults will be reminded of the innocence of childhood and the appeal of snow days when everything is so pretty and so much fun covered in a sea of white sprinkles.

From San Francisco Book Review, Rosi Hollinbeck
A young boy is told by his Dad that it might snow that day. He runs and checks outside. It’s cold, but it isn’t snowing yet. When he looks outside, the readers see the entire block around his house, but the boy doesn’t seem to notice anything except that it isn’t snowing yet. All he can think about is snow and how he will build a snowman and go sledding down the big hill and make snow angels. It just has to snow! He asks his mom to make it snow, but she says he will just have to be patient. But he’s not very patient. He checks outside the door and looks out the window all day long, but he is BORED and there is nothing going on. Except the readers can all see that there is a whole lot going on!
Howard McWilliam has written a truly funny story that shows he is in touch with his inner child, the one who can’t wait for it to snow. But the real joy of the book is McWilliam’s super fun illustrations that tell the real story of what is going on. Kids will ask for this over and over.
Star count: 5/5

From Children’s Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review
Singularly well-crafted by author/illustrator Howard McWilliam, “Just SNOW Already!” is a fun read specially designed for children ages 3-5. While especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library Values/Emotions/Feelings picture book collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “Just SNOW Already!” is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).

From Paige Bentley-Flannery, BendNest Parenting Magazine
What would you do if your family said it might snow today? Build a snowman? Go sledding? One boy is excited to play outside and puts on his snow clothes: “Nothing is as fun as snow!” It’s cold but it’s not snowing…yet. The boy looks out his window. Nothing. He checks again. Still nothing. But he is only looking up at the sky and misses all the activity on his street. Everything reminds the young boy of snow – even milk and sugar. Young readers will see the mayhem and activities happening all around the boy’s neighborhood and wonder what will change as each page turns. What are the birds doing next? Did they move the couch? Where is all the water coming from? What would you do while waiting for snow? Engaging and interactive, filled with snowy thoughts, neighborhood adventures and funny moments, this is a wonderful book to explore with the whole family. Cheerful illustrations are included all the way to the last page—watch out for the snowball!

From Julianna Margulies (American actress from ER, The Good Wife, and The Morning Show) in SAG-AFTRA’s Storyline Online video of Just SNOW Already!:
I love this book because it reminds me of the snow days I used to have as a kid. And that feeling when suddenly you don’t have to go to school, and you get to go outside and take your sled. I actually used to go and try to make money by shoveling people’s driveways. But this book is one of those books where you can read it over and over again because the excitement of snow never leaves.

From Emily Schneider, educator, writer, and blogger on Imaginary Elevators
Since we are gripped in the terrifying effects of climate change, a picture book based on a child’s frustration at the lack of snow may seem ironic. It’s not. There are many classics based on this age-old premise, and more are published every year. Ezra Jack Keats’s The Snowy Day, Uri Shulevitz’s Snow, and Alvin Tresselt’s White Snow, Bright Snow, all date from the era when snow seemed like a strong possibility. Other more recent books include Waiting for Snow by Marsha Diane Arnold and Renata Liwska, James Gladstone and Gary Clement’s My Winter City, Blizzard by John Rocco, and Snow Falls by Kate Gardner and Brandon James Scott. In Just Snow Already!, Howard McWilliam conveys the impatience of a child eager for the best part of winter, and oblivious to everything else.
My favorite sentence in the book is “Make it snow, Mom.”  This plea is preceded by his coffee-drinking dad checking the weather app on his phone, and remarking that the event could be imminent. Next, McWilliam’s two-page spread familiarizes us with the boy’s neighborhood, populated by a diverse range of people living in lovely Victorian houses. His illustrations combine bright colors and broadly-drawn figures with an animation element, but also realistic interiors that could be updated Dutch domestic scenes. The breakfast table features open cereal boxes, a bright green mug, Mom’s croissant and a bowl of fruit. It looks like the family is off to a good start of their day, if only it would snow. 
Gradually, the street becomes more filled with action. Bicycle races, a postal worker who, unfortunately, trips on a hose and scatters her mail, a fire engine, and a truck full of exotic animals. But this potential excitement is meaningless without snow. The little boy is wiry and hyperkinetic, getting dressed as quickly as possible and leaping to the couch to look out the window. He daydreams of all the activities that, in the absence of snow, will be denied to him. Although the book is sweetly humorous, readers will identify with his terror at the thought that it may never snow again. Making leaf angels, or building mud men, are all too plausible as alternatives.
When the snow finally materializes, every figure and object in the final scene is dusted with joy. Although this is not a look-and-find book, the final picture calls to mind the work of Richard Scarry, Brita Teckentrup, Marianne Dubuc, and Suzanne Rotraut Berner, working in the European tradition of the wimmelbuch. Even without searching for specific items, readers will spend a long time noticing them. Two monkeys play with a traffic cone. A mom takes a picture of a firefighter high fiving a child. Clowns entertain with balloon animals. By this point in the story, it’s evident that the boy’s priorities are not misplaced. Snow is still the context for winter, even if it only arrives on the pages of a book.

From Mrs.MakesReadingFun (Elementary Library Teacher)
We absolutely adored this book!
It is now one of our very favourite books–we laughed so hard, and we kept flipping back the pages to look at the scenes more closely and see every detail.
Our kids kept yelling “Look OUTSIDE” and “Look how much FUN is happening out there!”
This is such a special book, and so great for kids of all ages. It makes for such a fun read-aloud, and even though it is about snow, it is perfect all year round!
Get this book!

From Nina Lewis, Grandma Ideas blog
This children’s picture book is deliciously funny!
Every time that the little boy looks outside to see if it’s snowing, he only looks at the sky. He focuses so much on it that he completely misses all of the hilarious things that are happening on the street.
The first time he looks outside, the scene on the street is pretty normal. Cars drive by. People walk down the sidewalk. A girl rollerblades by. A man gets ready to paint his house.
Each succeeding street view gets increasingly funny. A bird steals a letter from the mail lady. Escaped monkeys cavort up trees, on rooftops, and on vans. Funny clowns build a human pyramid on the firetruck’s ladder. Men struggle to move a sofa into a home. (They succeed because the clowns help them.) Firemen attempt to rescue a cat stuck in a tree while water spews out of their hose. The little boy is totally oblivious to all of this hullaballoo going on around him.
When it finally starts snowing, he says that nothin is as fun as snow. However, the reader knows that his day would have been lots more interesting if he had paid attention to what was going on around him.
We had a great time looking at the pictures in this book. There is so much detail in the street scenes. My grandkids loved seeing how the people’s activities evolved into funnier and funnier situations.
We spent LOTS of time looking at the pictures.
And I think you and your grandkids will, too.
We really enjoyed this book.
And I think you and your grandkids will, too.
Howard McWilliam is both author and illustrator of this book and he does a superb job doing both. He’s got a great imagination and great artistic skills. (I think it would be so fun to meet him!) Kuddos to him for a job well done.

From Imagination Soup, Melissa Taylor
The boy is SO excited for the snow. He keeps checking out the window and is frustrated that NOTHING is happening out there. (But we can see that there is — a firetruck, a cat stuck in a tree, a cool monster truck, a dog chase, etc.) The boy plans and imagines all that he can do in the snow…and wonders what if it will never snow again. Will it ever snow? Funny and relatable.

From Jen Robinson’s Book Page
I hardly ever write book reviews anymore, and so don’t request, or generally receive, review copies. Earlier this week, however, Just SNOW Already! landed in my mailbox earlier this week. My daughter spied the cover and asked me to read it aloud to her while she ate dinner. This was nostalgic for both of – I used to read to her frequently while she ate meals when she was little. Now 13 (!), she’s not even littler than me. Anyway, we both LOVED Just SNOW Already!, and she asked me to blog about it on both of our behalf.
Just SNOW Already! is Howard McWilliam’s debut as an author. He previously illustrated the When A Dragon Moves In and I Need My Monster series, which we also enjoyed (especially the former). Just SNOW Already! is super fun. The narrator, a small boy, is delighted when Dad tells him that “it might snow today.” He keeps checking outside, but the snow doesn’t come. He’s dying for the snow, excited beyond words for how much fun he’s going to have when it finally arrives. But every time he checks the street, there is “nothing … happening out there.” 
This deadpan observation is set against McWilliam’s joyful illustrations of the many things that ARE happening out there. There are movers struggling with a couch, firefighters rescuing a cat from a tree, a letter carrier losing her letters, and much more. As the book progresses, the events happening outside from ever more madcap (monster trucks! falling cans of paint! circus monkeys! costumes!). But for the boy, waiting for the snow is “BORING”. He notices nothing else, even as his sister is outside, happily playing with a friend, enmeshed in some of the various neighborhood drama. But for the boy, it’s all tedium in the endless wait for … dare we hope? … will it happen? SNOW!
Young readers will be in on the “nothing happening” gag, even as they can’t help but hope, with each page turn, that the boy’s devotion to snow is rewarded. The illustrations are colorful and detailed, sure to reward rereads with new details to observe every time. 
McWilliam’a text is spare but super fun to read aloud, crying out for expressiveness. “What if it NEVER snows again?!” (in big font above a picture of the boy with huge, terrified eyes). And “It wasn’t fair. I bet it was snowing where other kids lived. My day was ruined.”
I only wish this book had come out about 8 years earlier. My young teen enjoyed it. But her five year old self would have cried “Again! Again!” As will other young readers. Just SNOW Already! is a delight from start to finish. Highly recommended!

From Jean Little Library, Jennifer Wharton
Genre: Weather; Wordless; Funny stories; Meta-narrative
Summary: Howard McWilliam, the illustrator of a number of popular titles and series from Flashlight Press, including the iconic I Need My Monster, debuts his own picture book. As befits someone who is primarily an illustrator, the words are secondary, just enough to keep the joke running.
A little white boy is thrilled when his dad, a pudgy man in a comfortable sweater and slacks, says it might snow. He immediately pops outside to watch the sky and throughout the rest of the book focuses solely on his little patch of sky, ignoring a train of increasingly wild and silly events happening at the town houses packed into his narrow street. As the little boy looks sadly through the window, a trail of fire trucks, loose dogs, monster trucks, and more pass by. Finally, the whole neighborhood and all the wild hijinks come together when it finally snows!
Verdict: This isn’t necessarily a good storytime read-aloud, as the pictures are very detailed and the text is just a foil for the activities on the page, but it would make a wonderful one-on-one read-aloud or a book to giggle over with a friend or adult. It could also make a good classroom read-aloud if you project it on a screen.

From Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor Author, New York Times Bestseller
Flashlight Press sent me a complimentary copy of this super charming picture book. Kids are going to have a blast “reading” the story unfolding on the page as the impatient main character waits for the snow to fall. I highly recommend this book written and illustrated by Howard McWilliam.

From Only Picture Books blog
Five-word review: Snow finally falls. Chaos missed.
4.25 out of 5 Snowballs

From Kara Rose, Instagram influencer @book.and.salt
5 star review!
This got SO many giggles from my 7 and 5 year olds!!! A super cute story about a little boy who is too fixated on the possibility of snow to see all the shenanigans going on outside his window. Each page had SO MUCH going on in the illustrations, we loved taking our time checking out each person and their predicament!

From Barbara Gruener (B.S., M.S., M.S. Speaker, Educator, Author, Coach), The Corner on Character blog
Why I like this book: So my first read through, which was more of a picture walk, my initial thought was that it must have been pretty easy to illustrate because we see the street view every time the child goes to the door to check for snow. Was. I. Ever. Wrong! Before even finishing that initial pass, I slowed down long enough to notice the chaos, pandemonium even, which ensues from the first street view to the final, show-dusted view. So. Much. Detail. Preschoolers will love the repetition and feel the impatience that the young lad feels, but your older readers will get the biggest kick out of the incredible details as life unfolds on the kid’s cityscape. I can already imagine these colorful pages becoming a seek and find of sorts; think “I spy” with monkeys and clowns.
The irony, of course, is that the lad misses all of it because of his laser-focus on snow because “Nothing is as fun as SNOW!” 
Or so he says.

From @thekidlitmama, Instagram influencer
Somehow my 3.5 year old managed to get news of the forthcoming night-before-Halloween snowfall before I did, and she told me about it instead of the other way around!
All evening up until bedtime, L repeatedly asked when the snow would be starting. Instead of continuing to check, we read this book, which we both loved.
In this story, a child is anxiously awaiting the first snowfall, which is set to happen that day. Throughout the day, he repeatedly looks out the window and sees NO snow, totally missing the rest of the unexpected, anything-but-boring action on his busy street! We had a great time watching the neighborhood hullabaloo grow as the story went on and spotting all sorts of silly details. 
This book offers a good opportunity to talk with kids about the frustrations of waiting as well as the value of staying mindful and present in a given moment.

From Aimee Smith, Book Expert / Instagram Influencer @keepabookout
It’s hard to be patient, waiting for the snow to fall, but in your rush you might just miss EVERYTHING going on around you! This is a FUN reread, lots to see in its fun illustrations.
(Recommended by their 5-year-old as their book of the week.)

From @storymamas, Instagram influencer account consisting of 3 educator moms and 7 kids
Just SNOW Already! is a fantastic book about how hard it is waiting for snow. Howard McWilliam shares the perspective of a kid waiting for the first snow all while missing the hilarious things happening outside. A wonderful reminder to live in the moment and look around you.

From The HSP Bookshelf, Délice Harris
*This book was gifted to us in exchange for an honest review.*
Just SNOW Already! by Howard McWilliam is a hilarious story about a little boy who cannot WAIT for it to snow. When he wakes up one day and his dad tells him it might snow (rookie mistake, am I right, parents??) he spends the entire day inside, bored and dying for it to finally snow already. Meanwhile, every time he looks outside and looks up at the sky, he’s missing all sorts of crazy things happening out in the street! If you are a fan of creative bookends, you’ll love that these bookends are perfect before and after illustrations of the street!
My poor little boys who were moved across the country from Idaho to Georgia are wishing for snow this week! My 8 year old brought it up just yesterday! I cannot wait to read and reread this fun book together this winter. It’s one of those books where you notice new details every time! My boys are huge fans of the What If You Had Animal— series and When a Dragon Moves In, so they immediately recognized Howard McWilliam’s endearing art. This one is sure to become a family favorite.

From Pam’s Reviews (librarian at Bowen Elementary School)
I received an electronic copy from the Publishers Weekly Winter/Spring 2024 Grab-a Galley.
Readers meet a young boy who can’t wait for it to snow. His dad tells him it is supposed to snow that day so he continually checks the window to see if it happening. Each time, he tells readers that nothing is happening. However, readers get to see the actual activities on the street outside his window. There is so much going on, readers can study the illustrations over and over again. I appreciate the humor involved as the narrator is tunnel focused on snow and completely misses so much activity around him. Excellent option to teach about looking beyond one focus point.
What a terrific book to emphasize looking beyond one focal point. Young readers will laugh and study the illustrations to see everything that is happening outside the window. Looking forward to sharing this one with classes.

From Nancy K. Wallace, Youth Services Coordinator at Ellwood City Public Library
A fantastic blend of text and illustration! As a child waits anxiously for the first snow in a cozy neighborhood of pastel houses, he ignores the drama unfolding below him. Absolutely nothing is as important to him as the first flakes of falling snow – not firemen rescuing a cat from a tree, or monkeys escaping from a Safari Park who ice skate in the street. An abundance of unusual events unroll one after the other, while the child has eyes only for the sky! This is a book to be savored. Each page can be pored over again and again to find new and wonderful things!! Great for bedtime read-alouds but a must for library collections!!

From Lindsay Barrett, We Are Teachers (a community of 3 million+ educators)
(In her free science teaching guide for snow, on her list of recent favorite books about snow.)
This one goes out to all the kiddos who can’t think of anything else when they know snow is on the way. Share it while you’re waiting for snow, or as a fun introduction to snowy weather forecasting.

From Kimberly Waters, reviewer for Midwest Book Review
Sometimes we have to be patient while we’re waiting for good things to happen. A young boy finds this to be true as he’s waiting impatiently for the snow to arrive. He’s so intent on his search for snow, he doesn’t notice all the fun and crazy things happening right on his street. It’s a great lesson about discovering what’s going on around you and not missing out on things that make a difference. Fantastic illustrations! (Ages 3-5)

From Crystal Cahill, Elementary Library Teacher at Lions Gate Christian Academy
We read one of my new favourites “Just SNOW Already!” by Howard McWiliam yesterday in library classes. The students LOVED it, and if you could only hear their comments & giggles & conversations! In the story, a little boy keeps looking out his window & hoping for snow, but it just isn’t coming! However, what IS happening on his street are the most hilarious things- that he just isn’t noticing- because he is only looking for snow. We talked SO much about how our students are all hoping for snow, and that snow is in the forecast…. And then today…. We got a fast & furious afternoon snowfall. This is definitely a must have read-aloud book! All children will love the silly illustrations, and will want to read it again and again. Flashlight Press also has a free reading guide and colouring sheets on their website.

From Amy Moore @thedailybookmark (Kid Lit Author and Reviewer on Instagram)
In Just SNOW Already!, a little boy is told by his father that it might snow that day. So the boy spends his entire day looking out the window for any sign of snow. But every time – nothing is happening! (Or so he thinks.) He hates to think of all the fun he is missing out on because the snow just won’t fall.
But the comical beauty of this book is in the illustrations. Every time the boy looks out his window, we can see that there are increasingly exciting things happening on his street. But he misses it all because he only has his mind on one thing.
Endearing and funny, this is a great book to read on those days you just want it to snow already! (This is me ALL winter!)

Nicole Garnett, picture book author 
How cute is this cover?! I feel like every child who has ever wished for snow, or waited for it, did this exact face out the window at some point or another— whether it is waiting for the first snow of the year, or first SNOW DAY to get off school.
This clever and hilarious story is brilliantly done. The child is told that it MIGHT snow today and he can’t wait! He keeps checking and checking out the window to see if the snow has come yet, BUT only looks up! He doesn’t notice ALL the crazy, funny things that are actually happening in his own front yard! From monkeys to a monster truck to clowns, these illustrations are excellent and will have all the kiddos laughing. Does the child ever notice all of these crazy things or does it FINALLY snow?! Have a read to find out!

From Seasons of Kidlit blog
McWilliam’s hilarious text along with his vibrant and detailed illustrations are a wonderful pair. This story is full of humor and surprises – each surprise more unbelievable than the next. This is an excellent reminder to kids that, while some things may take longer than you’d like, to look around and enjoy the moment. This is a perfect read for winter or for whenever you need a good laugh.

From Meg Hall, Instagram influencer @get.outside.and.read
I think all kids can relate to hearing it might snow and wishing it would Just Snow Already! This book is so hilarious. While waiting for it to snow and checking out the window a bunch of times but only looking for snow, the main character misses out on all kinds of drama in his neighborhood. My son and I had so much fun scouring through pages for funny things!

From Barbara Karp, blogger and school librarian
I’m always on the lookout for noteworthy books for readers of all ages. You can imagine my delight when I discovered a picture book that checks all the boxes: great storyline, humor, unexpected events, vibrant and eye-catching illustrations, and a publisher with a well-deserved reputation for quality titles that entertain and enlighten.
As soon as I borrowed this gem from the library, I knew it was asking to be shared. And there was no better opportunity than at the home of our daughter, whose kids enjoy a good story as much as their bibliophile grandma does. (Call it serendipity: the storyline revolves around an anticipated weather event in our real-life forecast.)
However, before I could review this book, life happened. Our younger daughter needed foot surgery and turned to her mother for help while she recovered. (An aside: as I was about to carry her mobility device down the steps of her apartment, everything started shaking. Interesting time to have an earthquake. How often do we get them in the northeast?) By the time things were back to normal, the above-mentioned weather event was no longer seasonal. However, a May snowfall on Mount Rushmore and a foot of the white stuff in other places show that winter isn’t over until it’s over. So, I decided the book is timely after all. (There’s another reason for sharing my thoughts: the publisher has an address a few blocks from our home, and I think of them whenever I pass by. They don’t give me incentives; my school librarian experience has shown their titles to be high-quality.)
A little boy is thrilled when his dad says it might snow. In his eyes, nothing is as much fun. However, to his disappointment, it’s not snowing. Our young hero, thinking nothing is happening, doesn’t notice an amazing chain of events happening outside his window. A dog chasing a cat up a tree knocks over a postal carrier whose letters spill out and a bird takes one to its nest. When firefighters arrive to rescue the cat, water spills from their truck and freezes, a circus truck slips on the ice, and monkeys escape and frolic in the street. The poor youngster’s day is ruined–until his mother convinces him to take another peek.
Flashlight Press has done it again. The publisher has come out with another wow book that takes a kid’s-eye view of the world. Author/illustrator Howard McWilliam combines simple text with illustrations that really tell the story. Little details are sure to elicit giggles from readers and listeners as they notice what the young narrator misses. Just Snow Already! is a book that will be read again and again. Like so many Flashlight titles, it’s destined to become a classic. Speaking of classics, Howard McWilliam’s masterpiece is reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’ And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and Snow by Uri Shulevitz.
Check out these other success stories from this incomparable publisher: I’m Really Not Tired by Lori Sunshine; That Cat Can’t Stay by Thad Krasnesky; Victricia Malicia by Carrie Clickard; Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick by Roz Rosenbluth; Grandpa for Sale by Dotti Enderle and Vicki Sansum; Silly Frilly Grandma Tillieby Laurie Jacobs; and Pobble’s Way by Simon Van Booy.

From Cindy Mitchell, school library professional and reviewer on Kiss the Book
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
Told in first person, a young boy has dreams of snow. All he can think about is all the fun he will have in the snow. As he looks out his window in anticipation he feels like nothing is happening. But, exciting things are happening all over his street.
Howard McWilliam tells a hilarious story with adorable illustrations. Children and adults can spend a good deal of time looking at all the chaos on one street and enjoy every minute. Although the main character is white, there is plenty of ethnicity in the illustrations.

From Debra Kempf Shumaker, author of Wind is Dance and other picture books
The reason to read a picture book today? Snow! But for me, the lack of it. It’s been several years since we’ve had a major snowfall in Northern Virginia and I want a blizzard soooo bad. Maybe this year? So a perfect book to read today is JUST SNOW ALREADY! A little boy’s dad tells him it could snow today. And he cannot wait! Every so often he checks outside, but NO snow. He dreams of all the things he can do in the snow, but when he looks out the window, nothing is happening. At least in his mind. The illustrations show funnier and funnier scenarios happening on his street, but since it’s not snowing, the boy completely misses it. A hilarious book on waiting for snow but missing the fun happening right around you. Funny text and funnier art make this a laugh-out-loud read for all ages. And please, just snow already!!!!!

From Reading With Red and the Magpie, teacher and children’s book reviewer
[One] of our favorite snowy day reads…. The kids love the silliness of this relatable snow day tale from Flashlight Press.

From Bethe Marie Lehman, librarian/collection development specialist, and former Texas Bluebonnet Award Selection & Program committee and ALA Pura Belpre member
You know kids were saying this today! Take time to look closely at the illustrations, funny havoc is going on outside the house, starting when their dog runs outside. Good look at little kid patience, waiting for a snow day! 5 ⭐

From @humanizehistory, children’s book reviewer and history curriculum consultant
When I was growing up it only snowed once in my hometown, but I clearly remember the day. School was cancelled. My sister and I made snowmen. It had dried up by noon, but I will never forget how magical the day was. This book captures that childhood fascination with snow and fits that into a creative plot which has my kids laughing along every time we read it.
Just SNOW Already! is about a boy who is eager to play outside in the snow. If only it would snow! Every time he looks outside the window there is no snow and he declares nothing is happening. Except there are so many things happening! Again and again this is repeated leaving my family in a fit of giggles. We see birds stealing letters, a bunch of animals escaping from a safari bus, a car full of clowns, and more. The juxtaposition of what he is saying versus what is actually happening in the illustrations create a great comedic effect. Each time he looks outside, more and more things are happening. Until finally, could it be? Does it really snow? I’ll let you read the book and find out.

@storiesbystorie, 2nd grade teacher
We finally got a snow day!
Thought this would be the perfect time to share this humorous book about a boy who is so laser-focused on waiting for the falling snow that he becomes oblivious to everything else! Will he ever look outside long enough to notice the fire truck rescue, escaped monkeys, clown car, monster truck, and more chaos happening right outside his window?
I love that this book has so much content packed into the illustrations because it adds to the storyline in a way kids will enjoy! Swipe to take a peek inside!
Have you read this one yet?

Rachel Freeman Smalley, children’s book author
What if it never snows again?!? 
I LOVE this book for so many reasons. First, if you’ve ever taught school, the instinct to manifest a snow day is in your DNA. And if your mother was a teacher, too, the obsession with snow is even stronger. However, what makes Just SNOW Already! a great read-aloud is the hilarity used by author/illustrator Howard McWilliam. He packs every page with wacky events that the boy ignores, sighing and saying, “nothing is happening out there.” But in reality, the boy’s street is devolving into a carnival of chaos! He is laser-focused on looking up at the sky, missing the parade of pandemonium outside his window. His worry that he might have to settle for making “mud men” instead of “snow angels” connects with every kid in every classroom looking out the window for the first sign of snow.

About the Creator

Howard McWilliam is both author and illustrator of Just SNOW Already! He is the award-winning illustrator of the I Need My Monster series, When a Dragon Moves In series, John Cena’s Elbow Grease series (a NY Times #1 Bestseller), and many other children’s books, with over 1 million copies sold. He is the cover artist of The Week (US & UK), and he lives with his wife and three sons in Cheltenham, England. Just SNOW Already! is his authorial debut. You can find out more about Howard and his work on his website.

ISBN: HC 9781947277984  eBook 9781947277991  Audiobook 9781947277489  Read-Along Audio: 9781947277748
Print Length: 32 Full Color Pages
Publication Date: September 2023
Age Group: 3-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022951906
Foreign Editions: Complex Chinese, Slovak
Themes: Humor, Diversity, Living in the moment, Frustration, Patience, SEL (Self-Awareness, Social Awareness)

Activity Guides & More

• Reading Guide
• Playing in Snow – Coloring Page
• Snowy Street – Coloring Page
• Teachers’ Activity Guide from Storyline Online

Leveling Information

Accelerated Reader Quiz #553556, Reading Level 1.8, Word Count 328

Fountas and Pinnell – Text Level L

Lexile Measurements provided by Metametrics:

Lexile Display: AD450L
Word Count: 328
MSL: 6.189
MLF: 3.779
Decoding Display: Medium
Semantic Display: High
Syntactic Display: Medium
Structure Display: High