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Snow Day!
Everyone loves a snow day! Award-winning author Lester L. Laminack provides a clever take on a familiar childhood wish. An unexpected twist is sure to surprise and delight young readers.
When the weatherman predicts a big snowfall, it's hard not to imagine the fun-filled adventures of an unscheduled school holiday! You can build snowmen, go sledding, have snowball fights—the possibilities are endless.
Except when the family wakes up that next morning, they find no snow! School is happening, and all their dreams of a winter wonderland are gone. But as the family piles into the car to head to school, an unexpected twist reveals who wanted the snow day most of all.
Adam Gustavson's expressive illustrations comically capture the excitement of pure possibility in author Lester L. Laminack's thoroughly original tale.
When the weatherman predicts a big snowfall, it's hard not to imagine the fun-filled adventures of an unscheduled school holiday! You can build snowmen, go sledding, have snowball fights—the possibilities are endless.
Except when the family wakes up that next morning, they find no snow! School is happening, and all their dreams of a winter wonderland are gone. But as the family piles into the car to head to school, an unexpected twist reveals who wanted the snow day most of all.
Adam Gustavson's expressive illustrations comically capture the excitement of pure possibility in author Lester L. Laminack's thoroughly original tale.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2007
5 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Lester L. Laminack
40 books44 followersLester L. Laminack is Professor Emeritus from department of Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle Grades Education, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he received two awards for excellence in teaching [the Botner Superior Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award]. Lester is now a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States. He is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English and served three years as co-editor of the NCTE journal Primary Voices and as editor of the Children’s Book Review Department of the NCTE journal Language Arts (2003-2006). He also served as a teaching editor for the magazine Teaching K-8 and wrote the Parent Connection column (2000-2002). He is a former member of the Whole Language Umbrella Governing Board, a former member of the Governing Board and Secretary of the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking. He served as the Basic Reading Consultant to Literacy Volunteers of America from 1987 through 2001. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Our Children’s Place [www.ourchildrensplace.com].
His academic publications include several books including Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), and his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (NCTE), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature (Heinemann) Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum (Heinemann, Cracking Open the Author’s Craft (Scholastic) and Unwrapping the Read Aloud (Scholastic). In addition he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Early Years, Science and Children, Language Arts, Teaching pre-K/8, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of six children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Tea Cakes, Jake’s 100th Day of School, Snow Day! and most recently, Three Hens and a Peacock all from Peachtree Publishers.
Lester was born July 11, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. His mom and dad had left their families in Alabama and moved to Michigan where his dad, Jimmy, worked for GM. But Michigan is long way from Alabama when you have a two year old and a brand new baby. So, just two weeks after Lester was born his parents packed everything and moved back to their hometown, Heflin, Alabama. They wanted Lester and his brother Scott to grow up near grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.
When Lester was 6 the family moved again. This time to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they moved back to Heflin where he completed 3rd grade and 4th grade. In April of 1966, while he was in the 4th grade, Lester's sister, Amanada, was born. She was so little when they brought her home that he had to hold her on a pillow. Every day when he came home from school he held her and told her stories. Some people think that's why he is a writer. Lester and Amanda have always been very close even though he is 10 years older.
When Scott was in the 7th grade and Lester was in the 5th grade and Amanda was just one year old the family moved again. This time it was to Key West, FL. They lived there under a year before moving back to Alabama.
Lester finished high school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Then he earned an Ed.D. in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL.
And now Lester lives downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. He starts every day with a cup of coffee, loves to listen to music and NPR. He plays saxophone and a Native American flute made from river cane. He reads a lot of children's books, Southern Fiction, poetry, and b
His academic publications include several books including Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), and his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (NCTE), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature (Heinemann) Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum (Heinemann, Cracking Open the Author’s Craft (Scholastic) and Unwrapping the Read Aloud (Scholastic). In addition he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Early Years, Science and Children, Language Arts, Teaching pre-K/8, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of six children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Tea Cakes, Jake’s 100th Day of School, Snow Day! and most recently, Three Hens and a Peacock all from Peachtree Publishers.
Lester was born July 11, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. His mom and dad had left their families in Alabama and moved to Michigan where his dad, Jimmy, worked for GM. But Michigan is long way from Alabama when you have a two year old and a brand new baby. So, just two weeks after Lester was born his parents packed everything and moved back to their hometown, Heflin, Alabama. They wanted Lester and his brother Scott to grow up near grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.
When Lester was 6 the family moved again. This time to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they moved back to Heflin where he completed 3rd grade and 4th grade. In April of 1966, while he was in the 4th grade, Lester's sister, Amanada, was born. She was so little when they brought her home that he had to hold her on a pillow. Every day when he came home from school he held her and told her stories. Some people think that's why he is a writer. Lester and Amanda have always been very close even though he is 10 years older.
When Scott was in the 7th grade and Lester was in the 5th grade and Amanda was just one year old the family moved again. This time it was to Key West, FL. They lived there under a year before moving back to Alabama.
Lester finished high school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Then he earned an Ed.D. in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL.
And now Lester lives downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. He starts every day with a cup of coffee, loves to listen to music and NPR. He plays saxophone and a Native American flute made from river cane. He reads a lot of children's books, Southern Fiction, poetry, and b
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 28, 2020
How I remember being a child and wishing with my snow loving little heart for a snow day. The weatherman would be predicting a possibility of snow and other areas had school closing running. The disappointment of waking up and school was still happening was crushing.
This book is a lot of fun. The kids hear that it’s predicted to snow and they begin to plan out their snowday, all the great things they are going to do with no school. But will it really snow? I guess they’ll find out in the morning. Great artwork. I love the mounds of snow we see. It makes me want snow more than anything. A nice big snow so everything stops a day and we can play in it.
The nephew had fun with this book. He was into all the snowballs and forts they were going to build. He is begging for a snow day here too. I told him it’s simply not a cold winter and we probably are not going to get any. Shame. He found the ending to be funny and aggravating. He gave this 4 stars. Let it snow, he sang.
This book is a lot of fun. The kids hear that it’s predicted to snow and they begin to plan out their snowday, all the great things they are going to do with no school. But will it really snow? I guess they’ll find out in the morning. Great artwork. I love the mounds of snow we see. It makes me want snow more than anything. A nice big snow so everything stops a day and we can play in it.
The nephew had fun with this book. He was into all the snowballs and forts they were going to build. He is begging for a snow day here too. I told him it’s simply not a cold winter and we probably are not going to get any. Shame. He found the ending to be funny and aggravating. He gave this 4 stars. Let it snow, he sang.
July 3, 2014
Reading this in July might be silly, but I saw this on the shelf at the library and couldn't pass up a chance to read it, even if I have heard it read to me before. What kid (or parent or teacher) couldn't relate to this? It's long enough after the zillion or so snow days we had this past winter to make me smile.
January 23, 2012
This is a great story, as the story goes on you think it's the little boy telling the story. It is his father telling the story and his dad is the teacher! A great read aloud for first to forth grade.
March 4, 2013
The narrator plans what he'll do if they have a snow day! Unfortunately, they don't have one. And we find out the teacher was actually the one who was excited about the snow day! Great book with colorful vocabulary and metaphors.
February 7, 2022
I didn’t like the illustrations. The people looked weird, big eyes and raised eyebrows. I wish the artwork had been cuter.
The synopsis was misleading. I thought that when they woke up to see it hasn’t snowed they turned the day around & had fun in their own way but that wasn’t the case.
The twist of the dad being the teacher was amusing, when he said I can’t be late, I’m the teacher. And he really needed a snow day.
I interpreted it wrong: ‘But when the family wakes up the next morning, the story takes an unexpected twist…Young readers won’t be the only ones who delight in Lester Laminack’s surprise ending in this thoroughly original spin on a familiar childhood scenario.’
I didn’t like that the book is written in dialogue, that someone’s saying out loud, there’s no quotations though.
The whole book is them talking about what they’ll do the next day. Of course, none of it ends up coming to pass.
I love how it captured the excitement of first hearing of snow, the hope that it will, that it’ll be enough to cancel school, looking forward to sleeping in, playing in the snow, sledding, building snowmen, being cozy inside reading and watching tv(perfect snow day!).
Wasn’t crazy about the writing.
‘And stack up a zillion snowballs inside.’
‘Snow is falling like a bazillion goose feathers. Yippee! Wonderful, amazing, we-can’t-go snow.’
‘Where’d we put the sleds? Come on, help me bring them up. We’ll go sledding in Mrs. Cope’s field. The sleds will shoot down that hill.’
‘I know, I know. We should go to bed. Tomorrow’s a big snow day. Goodnight, everyone. Sleep tight, everyone. We’re building a snowman tomorrow.’
‘Zoom-zip-scoot. Pile in the car. I CAN’T BE LATE! I’m the teacher! Drat! I really needed a snow day.’
This sounded much cuter than it ended up being. The twist was surprising and humorous but it wasn’t cute like I thought it would be. And if you don’t like the illustrations then you’re probably not gonna like the book, as well as not liking the writing. When you don’t like either one then it’s not a good read.
The synopsis was misleading. I thought that when they woke up to see it hasn’t snowed they turned the day around & had fun in their own way but that wasn’t the case.
The twist of the dad being the teacher was amusing, when he said I can’t be late, I’m the teacher. And he really needed a snow day.
I interpreted it wrong: ‘But when the family wakes up the next morning, the story takes an unexpected twist…Young readers won’t be the only ones who delight in Lester Laminack’s surprise ending in this thoroughly original spin on a familiar childhood scenario.’
I didn’t like that the book is written in dialogue, that someone’s saying out loud, there’s no quotations though.
The whole book is them talking about what they’ll do the next day. Of course, none of it ends up coming to pass.
I love how it captured the excitement of first hearing of snow, the hope that it will, that it’ll be enough to cancel school, looking forward to sleeping in, playing in the snow, sledding, building snowmen, being cozy inside reading and watching tv(perfect snow day!).
Wasn’t crazy about the writing.
‘And stack up a zillion snowballs inside.’
‘Snow is falling like a bazillion goose feathers. Yippee! Wonderful, amazing, we-can’t-go snow.’
‘Where’d we put the sleds? Come on, help me bring them up. We’ll go sledding in Mrs. Cope’s field. The sleds will shoot down that hill.’
‘I know, I know. We should go to bed. Tomorrow’s a big snow day. Goodnight, everyone. Sleep tight, everyone. We’re building a snowman tomorrow.’
‘Zoom-zip-scoot. Pile in the car. I CAN’T BE LATE! I’m the teacher! Drat! I really needed a snow day.’
This sounded much cuter than it ended up being. The twist was surprising and humorous but it wasn’t cute like I thought it would be. And if you don’t like the illustrations then you’re probably not gonna like the book, as well as not liking the writing. When you don’t like either one then it’s not a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2023
The illustrations are great! They show a family watching the news and hearing a snow forecast. They dream of all the fun things they'll do for their snow day, only to wake up to a big surprise. This is a fun group read aloud for kids on the older end who will appreciate the concept of a snow day.
November 30, 2021
This book called to me.
January 8, 2020
Great for introducing narrators in stories to students. Great twist ending that made the teacher's laugh, students thought was funny. Good for faster paced read-aloud and story times. Definitely will keep for future years.
January 8, 2020
Loved the ending to this book!
January 6, 2020
Ha Ha! That ending alone boosted this rating up one star. How clever! Great for those who actually live in places that get snow, unlike me here in S. Texas.
December 31, 2019
This story perfectly captures those potential snow day feelings and the ending really brings it home!
January 17, 2013
Audience- The audience for this book could be either male or female, because it is not gender specific. I think that it could be used for any grades mostly 1st-3rd grade. Most kids can relate to snow days and hoping for snow days which makes it easy for any child to be interested in this book. If you are going to have the students read the book alone I would use it for 2nd or 3rd, but if you, as the teacher, was going to read it younger grades would also enjoy this book.
Appeal- This book is appealing most children love snow days. If you read it during the winter it could make the students excited for the snow because they may get a snow day which would very appealing to students. The pictures also could be appealing because they are very big and they just jump off the page at you.
Application-. I would use this book in my classroom when talking about the weather and snow. I can have the students brainstorm some ideas of what they would do on a snow day. After we read the book we can compare their list with the things they talk about doing in the book.
Award List-Golden Sower Primary Nominee 2010-2011
Copyright- Text-2007 by Lester L. Laminack
Illustrations- 2007 by Adam Gustavson
Appeal- This book is appealing most children love snow days. If you read it during the winter it could make the students excited for the snow because they may get a snow day which would very appealing to students. The pictures also could be appealing because they are very big and they just jump off the page at you.
Application-. I would use this book in my classroom when talking about the weather and snow. I can have the students brainstorm some ideas of what they would do on a snow day. After we read the book we can compare their list with the things they talk about doing in the book.
Award List-Golden Sower Primary Nominee 2010-2011
Copyright- Text-2007 by Lester L. Laminack
Illustrations- 2007 by Adam Gustavson
December 20, 2019
An unexpected ending to a story that will resonate with children (and adults!) of all ages!
December 16, 2019
Ahhh...snow days. Blankets, snow forts, a day of no homework and responsibility. Just what everyone wishes for. The perfect book to read on those gloomy days with an auspicious forecast. Alas, we don't have many (any?) of those where I live. Oh well, read it anyways! One of my favorite picture books I've stumbled across.
January 18, 2013
Audience: This is a great book for kindergarten through fourth grade students. The book is simple enough that kindergarteners can relate to the story, yet the twist at the end keeps fourth grade students engaged.
Appeal: The author's whimsical writing style gets children excited about a snow day and the prospect of lots and lots of snow! The illustrations are realistic and applicable to real life, especially during winter season in the midwest.
Application: During the winter this would be a book I'd read with the students alongside our anticipation box. After we read the book we would talk about the author's style of adding a twist at the end and this would act as a prompt for a book written by the students; they would add a twist somewhere in their book as well.
Awards: 2010-11 Golden Sower Nominee: primary books
Snow Day!
Appeal: The author's whimsical writing style gets children excited about a snow day and the prospect of lots and lots of snow! The illustrations are realistic and applicable to real life, especially during winter season in the midwest.
Application: During the winter this would be a book I'd read with the students alongside our anticipation box. After we read the book we would talk about the author's style of adding a twist at the end and this would act as a prompt for a book written by the students; they would add a twist somewhere in their book as well.
Awards: 2010-11 Golden Sower Nominee: primary books
Snow Day!
September 14, 2018
This book is about two kids thinking about having a snow day and getting a day off from school. They think about all the fun they are going to have on their day off. They wake up the next morning and see no snow. They were very disappointed they had to go to school. I thought this was such a fun book! I loved the ending when you find out the dad was actually a teacher that wanted a snow day too. I thought it was very creative. I also loved the illustrations of the snow and all the activities the kids dreamed of doing on their snow day. I think you could read the book before or after a big snow. Also, if you are a doing a unit on snow or snowflakes.
Read
December 12, 2010Dear Lester Laminack;
Loved it! The illustrations were great, the story was funny and so real. As children we all have those thoughts when we hear the weatherman say we might have a snow day the next day. We plan to get up early (earlier than we would if we had to go to school) and don't even complain about it! Finally a day for us to be kids! And that last page? Brilliant! Did not see that coming at all.
Children and parents alike will get a kick out of this book. And as an added bonus the audio version is included in the back read by you! Thank you for that added bonus.
Melissa
Loved it! The illustrations were great, the story was funny and so real. As children we all have those thoughts when we hear the weatherman say we might have a snow day the next day. We plan to get up early (earlier than we would if we had to go to school) and don't even complain about it! Finally a day for us to be kids! And that last page? Brilliant! Did not see that coming at all.
Children and parents alike will get a kick out of this book. And as an added bonus the audio version is included in the back read by you! Thank you for that added bonus.
Melissa
January 30, 2012
Snow Day is such a fun book! As a snow day approaches the narrator describes all of the things that she is going to do with her day off of school. She is going to make snow angels, a snow man, she is going to make hot chocolate and snuggle with her family, and play. As she gets up the next morning and sees children with backpacks she realizes that the snow day was canceled. The narrator turns out to be a teacher. It's a fun spin on the story, and children get a good laugh out of it. I would read this book to 1-5.
March 23, 2016
The anticipation... the excitement... the possibility of a "Snow Day" is something so many of us can relate to. This story definitely brought back that feeling of childhood and hoping more than anything for that announcement. Deciding whether to prepare the snow gear for play or stay cozy indoors. Peeking out the window throughout the night and of course watching TV for "the list" of closures. It's honestly a feeling that still remains decades later, an excitement that never fades. Well done Mr. Laminack... and we had TWO "Snow Days" this year! Yes!!!
February 26, 2019
Great book for kids. We rarely get snow days in the mountains of Idaho. This book captures the excitement of a pending snow day. Wonderful book to read as a family or as a classroom. It gets a full 5 star from me.
November 27, 2017
Every once in a while, even teachers need a snow day too :)
March 8, 2018
I thought it was clever, but wow! The third grade class I read it to was not amused (at all!) by the twist ending. They really disliked it.
April 16, 2018
Perfect!
October 1, 2018
My new favorite mentor text for leads, endings and narratives.
January 9, 2019
humor
PreK-2nd Grade
Read this book aloud today in my 2nd grade classroom! They loved it, also compared it to Brave Irene
PreK-2nd Grade
Read this book aloud today in my 2nd grade classroom! They loved it, also compared it to Brave Irene
July 22, 2019
As a teacher in Minnesota this book hit home. The pictures are beautiful.
Read
September 8, 2020Snow Day by Lester L. Laminack is such a light hearted book about probably one of the best things about childhood. Snow days!! This book tells the story of a family, a dad and his two children, and how they hope to spend their snow day with each other! Things like sledding, snowball fights and hot chocolate!
I did really enjoy this book, I thought the illustrations were beautiful!! They were colorful and filled up the entire page. I also loved how the illustrator, Adam Gustavson, gave the characters so much facial expression. This story also has a cute little plot twist at the end that i honestly didn't expect therefore I enjoyed.
Im not really sure how i would use this in a classroom educationally, but it is a very enjoyable and relatable read. A lot of the snow day activities mentioned, are things we would do right now if a snow day was possible! Reading is enjoyable and should be fun! Everybody wants to read a book they enjoy!
I did really enjoy this book, I thought the illustrations were beautiful!! They were colorful and filled up the entire page. I also loved how the illustrator, Adam Gustavson, gave the characters so much facial expression. This story also has a cute little plot twist at the end that i honestly didn't expect therefore I enjoyed.
Im not really sure how i would use this in a classroom educationally, but it is a very enjoyable and relatable read. A lot of the snow day activities mentioned, are things we would do right now if a snow day was possible! Reading is enjoyable and should be fun! Everybody wants to read a book they enjoy!
February 1, 2017
This story is about two kids and their father who are watching the new and hear there’s a chance of snow for the next day. They start thinking of all the things they are going to be able to do tomorrow. As the day goes on they grow more and more excited. Finally, the sun goes down and shortly after the kids are put in bed. The family wakes up to find no snow on the ground. What they see instead is kids walking to the bus. They have to rush to get ready for school.
I liked this story. I remember many times thinking the weather would keep me out of school some days, and the same thing happening.
This could be use when students are expecting snow. I could remind students that the weather can always change
I liked this story. I remember many times thinking the weather would keep me out of school some days, and the same thing happening.
This could be use when students are expecting snow. I could remind students that the weather can always change
September 8, 2025
This book is genuinely fantastic. Snow Day! explores a familiar sense of anticipation that people from snowy climates will immediately recognize: the weather signs start to align and suddenly you realize you might get an unexpected day off.
The illustrations are a little dated but in a fun way that feels nostalgic more than anything (which the theme of the story also helps to evoke). The text is plucky and fun with a distinct narrative voice. And while I was already enjoying it, the story is so cleverly designed that the ending caught me completely by surprise. (It honestly felt like reading the secret precursor to one of my favorite memes.)
I highly recommend reading this. I had so much fun, I'd give it 6/5 stars.
The illustrations are a little dated but in a fun way that feels nostalgic more than anything (which the theme of the story also helps to evoke). The text is plucky and fun with a distinct narrative voice. And while I was already enjoying it, the story is so cleverly designed that the ending caught me completely by surprise. (It honestly felt like reading the secret precursor to one of my favorite memes.)
I highly recommend reading this. I had so much fun, I'd give it 6/5 stars.
December 3, 2020
My first grader and I read this book surrounded by 15 inches of snow. She got a lot of ideas about how we needed to drink hot chocolate and build snow forts. The realistic illustrations capture a different time (late 80s/early 90s?), but the images of mitten and scarf clad kids was still highly relatable. The narrator twist at the end made us all giggle.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews