A Snowman Named Just Bob is a beautiful 32-page, hardback children's picture book. Designed as a read-aloud for children 4 to 8 years of age, it tells a story of lasting friendship. This is a gift book, with an opening page on which to write the name of the person to whom you are giving the book. The story is about a child building a snowman, and it would go well with a unit study on seasons, friendships, or celebrations.

My favorite part of the book was where Mr. Moulton writes: "Friendship is a simple thing. . . ." The illustrator, Karen Hillard Good, puts the poem in the shape of a heart. She has a whimsical style of drawing that feels very inviting. In our family, we read this story at the beginning of the winter season. We were able to talk about the changing of the seasons as well as the meaning of friendship. We were also able to talk about how we were looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Although the publisher is a division of Guideposts, this book does not have a Christian message. In fact, part of the story tells how the snow was "that magic [that] came that night." My children enjoy building snowmen, but they were a little confused about how Bob was in the snow and came to be.

A Snowman Named Just Bob is a cute winter story that evokes the warm feelings of building a snowman with friends on a bright winter day. It is a book that will chase away the winter doldrums.

Product review by Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2009