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On his way home to Grandma, lonely Little Mole confides in a snowball: "'Can I tell you something?' whispered Little Mole. 'I just moved here. I don't have any friends.'" Grainy colored pencils and pastels create a softly lit winter atmosphere, and the illustrations show the snowball growing significantly in size (and meaning) as Little Mole rolls it along to the bus stop. Unfortunately, Mr. Bear's bus does not accommodate snowballs. The snowball--even after being cleverly re-shaped into a winsome snow bear--is not allowed on Mr. Fox's bus either. As the sky grows dark, Little Mole stays beside his new friend, sharing his hat and making a wish on a shooting star. Mr. Deer's bus mercifully welcomes both passengers aboard, and the following double-page spread warms things up with a cozy scene--in which Little Mole drifts off to sleep. When he awakens at his stop, his friend is gone. He trudges home to Grandma--but hope returns the next morning. The art is especially effective at juxtaposing the small but intrepid Little Mole with the vast winter world, and visual clues and surprises offer added enjoyment (for instance, endpapers starting with a single set of footprints close with two sets). Satisfyingly reminiscent of Raymond Briggs's The Snowman (rev. 2/79)--though with a happier ending.
Reviewer: Julie Roach
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2020