The Biggest, Best Snowman

by Margery Cuyler

Book Overview

A heartwarming seasonal story with an uplifting message about friendship and having confidence in yourself. Format: Paperback book and CD Little Nell's family thinks she's too small to really... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439669405
• ISBN13: 9780439669405
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.0" x 10.1"
• Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

You are Never too Small to Do Big Things

Little Nell wants to do big things like BIG Mama and her older sisters do. "No you can't" they tell her, "You're just too small". In this story The Biggest, Best Snowman, Little Nell learns that she can do big things, despite what her family says. This delightful tale teaches children that they, like Little Nell, are never too small to do big things when they really try. This message is conveyed through repetition and symbolism. The captivating illustrations and fairy-tale elements in this story keep a child interested, while reinforcing the message of the book. I recommend this book as a great read for children ages 2-8 and their parents, or anyone who wants a little boost of confidence and self worth. REPETITION: At the beginning of this story, repetition is used to emphasize the seemingly huge difference between Little Nell and almost everything around her. "Little Nell lived with BIG Mama, BIG Sarah and BIG Lizzie in a BIG house in a BIG snowy woods". The word "BIG" in all caps appears over and over again throughout the book and is associated with almost everything but Little Nell. Finally, when Nell shows her family that she has built the "Biggest, best Snowman that ever was" ,they ask her to help make a "BIG yummy lunch" and give her "BIG" hugs and kisses. Although Little Nell is still small, this repetition of the word "BIG" involves her in the "BIG" things too by the end of the story. While Nell and her friends build the snowman repetition is used to emphasize the hard work they put in to do a big thing. Little Nell "patted and matted and batted the snow into a ball", then "rolled and rolled it and rolled it" to Reindeer who "nudged it and nudged it and nudged it" to Hare. Each of the 4 friends (Little Nell, Reindeer, Hare and Bear Cub) perform a similar repeated motion for each of the three pieces of the snowman. The effort the friends put into the building of this big snowman becomes clearer with each repetition. SYMBOLISM: The symbolism in The Biggest, Best Snowman is simple enough that a child can easily understand. A child reading this book can learn that not only could they build a snowman like Little Nell, but that they could do any other big thing, if they will just try. Nell is a symbol for every child who has ever been told they are "too small". Most children can relate to this feeling, which helps them see themselves symbolically represented in Little Nell. The Snowman itself will symbolize something different for every reader- perhaps learning to ride a bike, playing an instrument, or even learning to read. These are big things that big people do to a child. The Snowman is symbolic of a big thing the child wants to achieve through hard work and determination. Little Nell has animal friends who help her build the snowman. These friends represent a parent, a teacher or sibling that can help to do the big thing. It is through the symbols in The Biggest, Best Snowman that

The biggest snowman ever!

Does your family bother you? Little Nell knows how you feel. Big Mamma, big Sarah, and big Lizzie always bug her. She needs a boost of confidence because her sisters and mom are teasing her of being so small. So, her friends tried to help. Margery Cuyler wrote many other books like, Skeleton Hiccups and Battlefield Ghost. Her childhood was never dull. And she had a supportive family. She loved writing and editing children books. She also worked at The Exclusive Level for Other Publishers. My personal opinion on this books illustration is that if you like drawings that are done mostly with color pencils, you would like it. What got me were the animals. I thought the animals were the best drawings. Will Hillenbrand {the illustrator} drew the people with many colors. But he drew them as if they weren't real. Yet he drew the animals as if they were real. Little Nell's friends are very supportive. When bear cub asks "Can you show us how to make a snowman?" "No I can't, I'm too small." answers Little Nell. But then all her friends say, "Yes you can! And you're not too small!" And with the help of her friends, she built a snowman. I would recommend this to anyone that has a family that bugs them. And to someone who lives in the snow! When someone bugs you, don't let them put you down. Do what Little Nell did. And have faith in your self!

The power of determination.

The power of determination rings clear as Nell defies her elder sisters' and mother's low expectations of how much she is capable. Nell wants to help, to be involved, to be part of things. But her mama and sisters think she can't help because she's too small. So Nell retreats to the woods where her comforting friendships with Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub give her the support to do what she aspires to: those things she has been told she can't because she is "too small." The animal friends want to learn to build a snowman and Nell tells them how. However, she can't do it without their help so as a winning team, they build the Biggest, Best Snowman. Not only does Nell realize her potential, but her family realizes too and is suitably apologetic, except for the ornery sister who remains unwilling to acknowledge that Nell is, indeed, Big Enough. This story is an important reminder for parents how great an impact our words have on small lives.