A Snowgirl Named Just Sue Goes Nicely With A Snowman Named Just Bob

Three years ago, I read A Snowman Named Just Bob, a tender picture book written by Mark Kimball Moulton and illustrated by Karen Hillard Good. The two have since collaborated on Reindeer Christmas, which I like even better, but when I saw that there was a sequel to Just Bob, I had to have a look. Good’s country-flavored illustrations are lovely an old-fashioned, reminding me of a Lang Folk Art calendar, while Moulton’s verse is presented as artistically as possible, intersecting with the paintings in surprising ways, whether it’s a block of text or a wispy swirl.

A Snowgirl Named Just Sue takes place in February, a couple of months after the young narrator and his family built Bob. “All the holidays had passed,” he says. “Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah - each one had been a blast!” This line strikes me as a little odd, as it seems to imply that his family celebrated them all, which doesn’t seem too likely. But maybe he’s just speaking in general terms.

In any event, it’s getting warmer, and rain and sun are beginning to wear away the snowy friend so beloved by his creators. As Valentine’s Day approaches, they fear that another storm will wash Bob away entirely. But instead, that mooshy-gooshy holiday brings a very different type of shower. Not rain, and not snowflakes, but hearts, falling in “ruby, rose, vermilion, pink, / blush, crimson, coral, flame! / We tried our best, but there were reds / we couldn’t even name!”

Not only is Bob able to survive in such strange precipitation, the heartfall inspires the creation of Sue, a mate for Bob. Like A Snowman Named Just Bob, this story has a definite melancholy edge to it, and I would say it’s even more pronounced here when paired up with the romantic storyline. It’s really more of a Valentine story than Christmas, but with the continued presence of snow and the prevalent association of snowmen with Christmas, this sequel covers two holidays, and really three; as I read, I kept being reminded of the classic New Year’s song, Old Lang Syne.

Bob and Sue are not going to be with this family forever. But just as certainly, these “old acquaintances” will never “be forgot”.

Mark Kimball Moulton's Reindeer Christmas Encourages Generosity

One of the first Christmas gifts I remember receiving from my aunt Nancy is an autographed copy of Jan Brett‘s Annie and the Wild Animals. Several years later, she presented me with Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy by Carl Sams and Jean Stoick. In between and since, she has given me many nourishing books, but I thought of these two in particular as I read Mark Kimball Moulton’s Reindeer Christmas, for this is the story of an older relative instilling in the children she loves the importance of compassion and generosity, specifically toward hungry creatures in the winter.

In this book, beautifully illustrated by Karen Hillard Good, who uses drab colors to give the paintings an old-fashioned look, two children live with their grandmother. They make it a point to share their food with the wild animals lurking near their cozy home, and when they find an injured reindeer, they quickly welcome it in and nurse it back to health. After they send the animal on its way, they come to realize just how special a guest they housed when Santa sends them a remarkable gift to express his gratitude for restoring a member of his team.

I always find it interesting to take a peek at the dedication page, and I found the sentiments here especially moving. Kimball writes, “This story is dedicated to everyone who truly believes in the wonder of the season,” while Good, more personally, dedicates the book “to Dad, for all of those magical walks through the forest when I was a kid, and Mom, who always had the hot chocolate ready when we came home.” Though we don’t see a mom or dad in the book, this family is very close-knit, and all of them certainly appreciate the wonder of the season.

One thing I like about this book is that even though it’s a story about Santa Claus and his reindeer, the Reason for the Season is subtly incorporated throughout its pages. Around the house hang signs reading “Peace,” along with a drawing of the Nativity. The text itself mentions Christ, and in his thank you note to the family, Santa talks about praying. And this is a beautifully written tale, composed of rhyming couplets and incorporating rich vocabulary like “filigree,” “regal” and “luminescent.”

“Luminescent” is a good word to describe this book. As warm as a tray of gingerbread cookies fresh out of the oven, as heartfelt as the decoration applied to those cookies by tiny hands, Reindeer Christmas is a gorgeous tale of light and kindness.