Deborah Kerbel is the author of seven novels for middle grade and young adult readers as well as the picture books Before You Were Born, Snow Days, and Sunny Days. Her novels have been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association YA Book of the Year, and the Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award. Deborah lives in Thornhill, Ontario, with her husband, two book-loving children, and a schnoodle named Alfredo. Miki Sato is a Japanese-Canadian illustrator who uses a variety of different textures and materials to create three-dimensional images. Originally from Ottawa, she moved to Toronto to complete her degree in illustration from the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her picture books include Golden Threads written by Suzanne Del Rizzo and Snow Days and Sunny Days written by Deborah Kerbel.
Praise for Snow Days 2020 Northern Lights Book Award: Board Book Category Winner Kerbel's couplets include both concrete details and more poetic abstractions. Sato's deceptively simple illustrations are almost tangible in their layers, showcasing an array of stitches, paper finishes, and fabric surfaces, and depicting an inclusive cast. -Publishers Weekly The colorful collage illustrations strongly utilize texture to create depth and visual interest. The materials used to create the outerwear and accessories are especially realistic and invite closer inspection....A playful celebration of wintry weather. -Kirkus Reviews Snow Days walks through the magic of winter in charming rhyming couplets. Meticulous paper and fabric cutouts form illustrations that seem to leap off of the page... -Foreword Reviews The text is poetic but accessible, and compact without feeling hasty. It affirms the experiences of young winter veterans, while also being instructional for little newcomers...Sato uses paper and fabric collage for the illustrations, creating a striking juxtaposition between the textures of snow (mostly paper) and winter clothes (mostly fabric). -Quill & Quire The book, itself, is designed with thick pages, rounded corners and a padded cover, is perfect for little hands. Kerbel's rhyming text in Snow Days is paired with Sato's three-dimensional illustrations that were created from a variety of materials and textures and which seem real enough to touch. Young readers will become excited for the first snow of the year with this delightful story. Highly Recommended. -CM Magazine Snow Days is a fun picture book that will have young children looking forward to this exciting time. -Postmedia With Miki Sato's gorgeous and cheerful multi-textured, paper collage images and Deborah Kerbel's precise and lively rhythmic couplets, Snow Days is a snuggly, bouncy and softly reflective reading experience-and one that is truly perfect for reading aloud. Additionally, at the book's end, five simple science experiment involving snow are offered-just right for any potential snow days ahead! -Fab Book Reviews This delightful picture book looks at all the different kinds of snow and the things that one can do with it, in it and because of it....Sato's illustrations, using paper and fabric in collage, add a lovely dimension to the book. The book closes with five fun activities you can undertake with your child to further explore the world and wonder of snow. -Canadian Bookworm