Oh, the magic of a snow day! Beth Ferry has rapidly become one of my favorite picture book authors. The Snowball Fight perfectly captures the joy and laughter of playing in fluffy, white snow.
Author: Beth Ferry
Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld
Genre: picture book
Setting: in a yard between two houses on a snow day
Themes: snow days, snowball fights, building forts, outdoor play, friendship, neighbors, joy, winter, rhyming couplets
Protagonist: two young neighbors, gender is not specified, one has tan skin and curly black hair
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Starred Reviews: none
One wintry morning, the snow begins and so does…a snowball fight!
In her signature verse, Beth Ferry recounts a day spent behind snowbanks and on sleds, while Tom Lichtenheld’s cinematic art delights readers with sly and snowy twists.
Told in rhyming couplets, the two children in this story build snow forts, have a snowball fight, avert disaster, go sledding, and make snow angels. Then, they go inside to warm up and enjoy some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies.
The perfect snow day!
I’ve added this title to my Mock Caldecott 2026 list, not because I think it will actually win, but because the bright, colorful illustrations are so appealing to young readers. Caldecott is about artwork, but that does not always translate into books that grab kids’ attention.
Young readers will naturally gravitate toward Snowball Fight and want to read it over and over. If you put this title on a display of “Snow Day” books, I bet it will be among the first checked out.
The only characters are two young neighbors, who are also friends. Names and gender are unspecified. Both have tan skin, but one is darker than the other.
Would adult readers like this book? YES! If you are doing a storytime for young children, with parents or teachers in the room, the adults will like this one. Lots of nostalgia for those of us who grew up with snow days.
Would I purchase this book for my high school library? NO – Many picture books are great for high school readers, but this is not one of them.
Would I purchase this book for my middle school library? NO – same reason as HS library above
Would I purchase this book for my elementary school library? YES, 100% – students will love this, and the rhythmic and rhyming text make it a great read-aloud.
No concerns about language, violence, drugs/alcohol, or sexuality.
