In this delightful tale, where a young mouse yearns for the sun and his mother gently reminds him of the wonders of winter, Eileen Spinelli reminds readers to be content in the moment and to look for happiness wherever they are. Children are sure to love Mary Newell DePalma's playful illustrations of mice dressed for the season, surrounded by oversized cut-paper snowflakes.

Illustration from Now It Is Winter by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma

I had fun cutting out the paper snowflakes in this book!

School Library Journal
A fretful young mouse learns to live in the moment in this lovely picture book.
...While his brothers and sisters frolic through the snow in the
gorgeous acrylic and cut-paper illustrations, the little creature trails after his mother,
asking when he will next experience his favorite springtime activities, foods, and animals.
She opens his eyes to the joys of the present, and the last illustration shows him
hanging up a drawing of the snowman he has made with her
next to his picture of a springtime sun.
...The gentle, intimate tone makes this book a natural bedtime story
or a quietly compelling read-aloud for any time. Kathleen Kelly MacMillan


Kirkus Reviews
...Jolly cut-paper snowflakes festoon acrylic paintings in this gentle paean to living in the now...
A lovely winter story.


Booklist
...... A subtle antidote to winter doldrums, this is just right for impatient children who,
like the mouse, long for a change of season. Julie Cummins

Women's Lifestyle
What a sweet little winter mouse tale. The words create such playful images
and blend perfectly with the fanciful art. In a cozy little mouse home, in the hollow of a tree
beneath a sky scattered with over-sized, cut-paper snowflakes,
mama mouse helps little mouse patiently enjoy one season at a time.
Added to the magic are snowflake kites, napping snow angels,
ice dancing, silver sleet and a classic brown and gold zigzag afghan.
This is a greatlap book for a wintry day, read aloud with a little someone you love.

Illustration from Now It Is Winter by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma
Now It Is Winter has been translated into Korean.