First Steps, First Snow is a sweet rhyming story to read to littles in winter! It's short and contains cozy illustrations, making it perfect for capturing the attention of preschool ages.

First Steps, First Snow is a story about first steps in the new fallen snow. A pair of siblings head out as the snow has fallen, the moon has risen and the world is still. They walk through the forest near their home and observe many animals that are out and about. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is quiet. I read this one to my grandchildren as a bedtime story, and it was calming, but they really didn't connect to it. There was minimal text on each page, but the large, muted illustrations were beautiful. I spent a lot of time drawing their attention to the illustrations and asking them what they saw. This would be a great book for a classroom when teaching about seasons, especially winter. Although I enjoyed this book, it did not capture my grandchildren, which is the target audience.

I am very much amazed with the illustrations by Carol Hill Quirk. Though there is not much to read from Harriet but still the background scenes were so much eye-soothing & relevant.

Such picture-books are handy and easy to read for KGs but there must be answers to questions raised at last, for children to know about 'Do & Don't' when they step first in snow.

An additional star for Illustrations.

My Goodreads' reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5052579848

First Steps, First Snow by Harriet Hodgson is an enthralling poem with exquisite illustrations. A sweet book that I definitely recommend.
The questions suggested to think about at the end of the book deepened the experience of reading it, making it even more profound and beautiful.
Thank you NetGalley and BQB Publishing for this ARC.

First Steps, First Snow by Harriet Hodgson is a sweet and gentle book. It reminds me of the excitement I felt, as a child, when the snow came. The silence of the world was magical. This is a lovely book worth reading again and again.
May you sell a million copies, Harriet Hodgson!

donna o'donnell figurski

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute children's book. I liked the pictures better than the text, though.

This sweet children's book about waling in the snow has a simple message about enjoying the beauty of the world that surrounds us. With large, simple text this book is short and easy to read. The illustrations are beautiful and intriguing. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 3-7 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A very attractive volume, this illustrates a rhymed verse that’s perfectly accessible by all ages, concerning a night-time walk through a forest under virgin, undisturbed snow. The rhyme is fine, but for me the winner here is the craft in the visuals, which are simply stunning. I’d go as far as to say they make this a rarity – a book you wanted to be longer. It does have the saccharine, “one more animal? Go on then!!” attitude those animated Christmas e-cards from Jacquie Lawson and the likes have, but be on board with that and this is a minor marvel.

Life is filled with quaint moments like the ones the two siblings come across when a fresh layer of snow covers the earth. This story explores the joys that we can associate with the aspects of this life that feel, at a glance, simple in nature but bring us memories we can cherish for all the years to come.

The illustrations by Carol Hill Quirk remind me of many little books I had on my shelves growing up. The colour scheme is warm with a hint of cool that allows the reader’s mind to engage with the imagery without necessitating the linguistic ability to follow the stanzas.

I have an image in my mind of the ideal reader & perhaps, I might venture to say, so did Hodgson when writing the kindly poem that saunters across a backdrop of woodland forest, a cottage home, young siblings wrapped snuggly in snowsuits & the animals who come out to start their day with a fresh blanket of crisp white snow.

This book would do well to be read by those who adore the season; perhaps a story to accompany some hot chocolate or a snuggle in a favourite blanket. There is not any conflict or climax to this story, it simply exists to present a tender moment & I think there is something wonderful to appreciate in that.

Thank you to NetGalley, BQB Publishing, & Harriet Hodgson for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The First Steps, First Snow is about how children react to the first snowfall of winter. How the snow crunches differently, and how the moon grows differently compared to other snow falls. Very cute kids book.

I LOVED this. I loved its simplicity, but the depth it gave to those feelings. I loved the connection to nature. I thought the illustrations were STUNNING.

This is the coziest, cutest little children's book I have ever read! Snow angels, friendly and furry critters, the glow of the moonlight and more - this one recreates the magic and ethereal nature of not only being a child and going on adventures, but also the magic of a first snow. This one is perfect to read to the little ones when the cold weather begins to creep in, and the best part is that it rhymes so it will keep their attention.

First Steps, First Snow by Harriet Hodgson is a very cute book about a walk in the snow seeing many different animals. The illustrator does a wonderful job of matching the authors words about what they see on their journey outdoors walking in the snow makes me remember things I saw on my first trek on cross country skis.

⭐⭐⭐

The artwork in this one is just beautiful. Unfortunately the story is a little...meh. However, it IS a picture book for young children, I just feel like there could have been more to it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**Arc Via NetGalley**

With simple rhyming a tale of walking through the woods on a snowy day and being the first to make footprints is told by a lover of winter in Wisconsin. I enjoyed the animals and the children who looked for them. Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age.
I really want to get one for my local public library (in Wisconsin!)!
The illustrations by Carol Hill Quirk are delightful, colorful, muted, and imaginative.
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Charlesbridge via NetGalley. Thank you!

Children wake in the night to find the first snow of the year has arrived. A little late-night play is in order! Accompanied by a brief poem. In fact, the explanation for the poem, at the end of the book, is quite a bit longer than the poem itself.

Close-ups of the kid's faces do wind up a bit in the uncanny valley. A lot of detail for eyes and lips in a comparatively flat face. But it's nothing BAD, just a bit off.

Most pages have a few animals to spot. Most are pretty simple, standing out against the white snow, but there's a few that have some good camouflage, adding a small seek-and-find element to the book.

Overall, an okay book. I'd say get it from the library to try it out.

Advanced review copy provided by the publisher.

In this beautifully illustrated book, we can see the story of two siblings who walks by the snow at night. They are mesmerized by the snow that's fallen everywhere. There wasn't much more to the story other than this. I think this book lacked a little bit in storytelling but I'm giving a high rating because of the artwork. It was truly stunning and breathtaking. I loved the art a lot, but the story, not so much.

This took me right back to the winters of my childhood. A simple but beautiful story with exquisite illustrations. I want a copy for my library and for myself.

This book needs to be read with a warm cup of cocoa. It is such a cozy book that reminds me of nights at the cabin..
The questions at the end were a nice touch, although there are spacing issues.

The 3rd page di have one spelling error.

This is a story about first steps in the snow. The illustrations are beautiful and I think this would be a great book for calming down or before bed, also a nice way to introduce going outside for walks or to play in the winter! This book caters to young children, and could be used in a home or education setting. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.