A beautifully crafted children's book can be appealing to all ages, drawing in the little ones for whom it is intended but also delighting teens and adults alike. Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick have co-authored several books that fall into that category. Their wildly popular Stranger in the Woods has been on the best-seller lists for five consecutive years, hitting the number one spot on the New York Times best-seller list in December of 2002. In their newest board book for the littlest nature lovers, When Snowflakes Fall, toddlers and preschoolers will learn how animals in the forest find food and stay warm in the winter.

Mr. Sams and Ms. Stoick are photographers with keen eyes for beauty in nature. The photographs they choose to feature tell their simple stories well, highlighting nature and all of its sweet quirkiness. My five-year-old picked up When Snowflakes Fall and giggled at the close-up photograph of two little mice peaking through autumn leaves. "Look at these cute little mice, Mommy!" The page's accompanying text interested her as well: " 'We will gather leaves to make a warm bed in our tunnel,' squeaked the mice."

When Snowflakes Fall is a quality board book, the kind you'll want in your book basket now as well as when the grandbabies begin to visit. It's a great addition to a nature study with older children and a wonderful little gift to tuck into a Christmas stocking. If you're the type of home educator who likes to have a unit study's worth of books accessible in a basket or on a shelf during the school year, When Snowflakes Fall would make an ideal addition to your collection.

Product review by Kendra Fletcher, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August 2009