Wilhemena Brooks’ cousin, Bud Dunphry come to live with her family. Wil, as she likes to be called, finds her pink pencil sharpener is missing after Christmas. Wil knows Bud has it! Who else would have taken it? Her mother told her to be nice to Bud and to treat him like she would like to be treated. If Wil treats Bud nicely does that change anything for her?

REVIEW

The Great Snowball Escapade is an entertaining read for emergent readers that includes a lesson about compassion and judging others. Because of that lesson, I would suggest that teachers in first through third grade use this as a read-aloud in class. In addition, the author recommends this book for children ages 6-8. I think a set of these books would be appropriate in second grade classrooms for group assignments and discussion. Public libraries might consider including a box of these books for loan to schools. As a librarian, I would add this book to pathfinders about bullying and friendship.

Aside from the lesson inherent in the story, I always had a hard time finding winter-themed chapter books that kids wanted to read after the holidays when I worked in an elementary school library. This book fits the bill perfectly for a display of snowy books that early elementary students will want to read.

By the way, J.D. Holiday also illustrated the book. For early chapter book readers, illustrations not only break up the text (nice transition from picture books) but provide context clues for the story. Holiday’s illustrations work very well with the text.

Reviewed by: Nancy Messmore
kidsreads.wordpress.com

EXCERPT

The afternoon was ruined. Wil was lying on her bed looking out the window. Snow was falling again. She should be outside with her friends right now. But because of Bud she was stuck in her room.

Bud was in Jason's room. He was making pretend noises. It sounded like he was playing with cars. The car raced around crashing into things.

The pencil sharpener was on Wil's pillow. Her mother found it. It had never been used. All this time the sharpener was next to the music book on the piano. Her mother said it must have been there since her family sang carols on Christmas Day.

Wil remembered now. She placed the sharpener on the piano while she sang

'Jingle Bells' with her brother, Jason who was home last week for the holiday.

All this time Bud did not have her sharpener. He had told the truth.