Rain or Shine (Snip and Snap) by Diane Fox and Christyan Fox
| Rain or Shine (Snip and Snap) by Diane Fox and Christyan Fox | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Ruth Ng
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| Summary: Delightfully fun story with bright, cute illustrations! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 20 | Date: November 2012 |
| Publisher: Orchard | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1408316122 | |
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It's an important lesson to learn, if you're growing up in the UK - the perils of planning an outdoor picnic! Snip and Snap have decided to have a picnic, but as poor Snip tries to get ready he finds that the changeable weather thwarts his plans at every step! Will he ever manage to eat his picnic with his friend Snap?
Snip and Snap are identical crocodiles. They're rather cute, squat little crocodiles. I like their sweet faces, their round-edged teeth (an important attribute on a likeable crocodile!) and their funny bumpy tails. They've packed a lovely picnic basket full of all their favourite foods. But when Snip comes to bring the basket outside he gets to the door and sees that it has started to rain. Oh dear! He rushes off to fetch his boots and umbrella and his rain suit, but this time when he gets to the door he finds that now it's snowing! Each time, of course, there is a different weather until, finally, he gives up in despair and tells Snap he's going to go for a nap! Of course, by then the sun has come out and so Snap manages to persuade him to come outside and they finally get to eat their delicious picnic.
I really like the style of this book. As I said, the crocodiles are rather sweet. It's funny to see poor Snip running around, swapping his clothing to try and fit in with the weather. How Snap manages to be outside the whole time, prepared for every eventuality, isn't explained! The format also works extremely well. Each door works as a lift the flap, so you don't actually know what the new weather is until you lift the door flap (well, unless you're eagle-eyed and you spot it through the window!) So there's lots of anticipation each time, both to see the weather and to see what Snap is getting up to out there whilst poor Snip is being given the run-around! The final page has an unusual lift the flap 'spread' with two fold-out pages that expand to reveal Snip and Snap eating the most enormous baguette! Below them on the picnic blanket you can also see all the different things they chose for their picnic. You'll be glad to know that although the requisite healthy fruits are there, of course, there's also a large piece of cheese, a huge bowl of crisps and a delicious looking sponge cake topped with cherries! Proper picnic food!
Mysteriously the door changes colour and style on each page, something I have only just noticed as I write this review! I'm not sure if Snip is perhaps trying a different door each time, and if so, they live in a very strange house with an awful lot of doors! The whole book is lovely and colourful though, bright and simple and Snip's expressions are funny to see. The story makes a nice introduction to lots of different types of weather, and allows for discussion about what to wear in the various weather conditions.
I read this to my two children separately. The baby loved it. He had his eye on the flaps immediately (though had to be restrained since they're only paper so not that robust!) and he enjoyed the whole story as it's very short and has a good pace to it. Later on my six year old enjoyed it too, especially the reveal of the gigantic sandwich at the end. We do like a good meal in our picture books in this house! Definitely recommended for little picnickers everywhere!"
For more about the weather try One Year With Kipper by Mick Inkpen or try Tales From Percy's Park: After the Storm by Nick Butterworth
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You can read more book reviews or buy Rain or Shine (Snip and Snap) by Diane Fox and Christyan Fox at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Rain or Shine (Snip and Snap) by Diane Fox and Christyan Fox at Amazon.com.
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Chrystyan Fox said:
Hello Ruth Ng, very glad you and the children enjoyed Snip & Snap's weather dilemmas.
The crocs thought it was important that I should answer a few of your queries: it is indeed a strange house and the many doors are all in different rooms (just take a look at the decor and windows). They tell me that crocodiles — as I'm sure your children already know — are outdoor creatures who like to have as many doors as possible so they can nip outside whenever they feel the urge. The multiple door colours are due to the quarrelsome crocs inability to agree on anything. If you think this is odd you should see what happens to their house at the end of Red or Blue.
I also asked Snap how he was able to predict the weather and dress for it so quickly, but all I could get out of him was some nonsense about 'suspension of disbelief' before he ran off to make another sandwich.
I hope this clears everything up, but for bonus points have your children noticed that the crocs aren't quite as identical as the story would have you believe? Even without their shirts (something else they can't agree on) there's a way you can always tell them apart.
Happy reading,
Christyan Fox
