When the flowers are gone, snowflakes fall. No two of them are the same and they are all beautiful. They are animal tracks, boot prints, sled paths, snowmen, forts, and fields of snow angels. And when the sun melts the snowflakes, water flows where the snowflakes once had been. And the flowers grow again, reminding the children of the snowflakes.

And we remember the children -- each beautiful. Each unique.

Written as a tribute to the lives lost at Sandy Hook, this gentle tale of loss and of memory is a tribute to the uniqueness of each individual, reminding us of the renewal in our lives: snowflakes fall, then return as raindrops, helping the flowers to grow once again. It’s a celebration of life and an epistle of hope.

Highly recommended. ( )

This book reflects the scenes and memories of childhood winters, focusing on the individuality and beauty of each snowflake, "Each one a pattern, All its own-No two the same-All beautiful." Each snowflake stands as a metaphor for each child's distinct beauty. The book tells the story of snowflakes falling across a landscape in the winter months, depicting winter activities and the excitement and wonder of children. The book also alludes to the water cycle, dropping clues and hints about the ways that snow melts to fill chattering streams then lifts back into the sky to fall as rain. Even though winter and summer are opposite seasons, the snow of winter becomes the rain of spring, then transforms into the flowers of summer: "And when the flowers bloom, The children remember the snowflakes." The beautiful cycles of the seasons and the eternal grace of nature shine throughout this book, and the book is a tribute to the enduring qualities of nature, the sorrow of change and loss, the healing power of memory, and the characteristics that make each person special and distinct. According to the jacket, the book is "in honor of the victims in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, and falling snowflakes celebrate the uniqueness of life, its precious, simple moments, and the strength of memory."

Every single snowflake is different. Each one is unique and beautiful in its own way, just like children. As the snowflakes fall, they cover the gardens. As the seasons change, the snowflakes become the rain that makes the flowers bloom again. And the children remember the snowflakes. No two are ever the same, but all are beautiful, just like children.

The Bottom Line: This story of renewal was inspired by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. MacLachlan’s powerful words and Kellogg’s vibrant and dreamy watercolors combine to convey a message of hope as the seasons change and the cycle of life begins again. Very highly recommended for helping children understand loss. This picture book also emphasizes the beauty of each unique individual.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )

Summary: The author uses this book in honor of the Sandy Hook victims. They use snow to resemble that not any two are the same and that goes for lives. It connects the fact that snow and children have uniqueness.

Personal Reaction: I enjoyed reading this and I think that it would be a great book to read to elementary school students. It could teach them that it is okay to be different and that nobody is the same. I think that it could also help children learn not to bully because it shows them that every single person is different.

Classroom Extension: I would love to read this to a classroom. I would probably use this in one way by reading it if i happened to see kids bullying in my classroom. One extension I would do would be to have a class discussion after reading about every flake being beautiful in themselves and talk about bullying. Another extension I would do would be to have the students write in their journal about bullying and that way I could find out if anyone is being bullied. ( )

MacLachlan uses this book in remembrance of the Sandy Hook victims. The snowflakes symbolize how each life is different and unique to its person. “Not two the same—All beautiful”, is a phrase that is repeated throughout the text. Snowflakes fall and melt, then comes spring, flowers begin to bloom. Kellogg’s illustrations are very detailed and for me they bring out the meaning behind this story. ( )