Life in Tuttle Town is uncomplicated—straight streets, equal-sized houses, and neighbors who all know each other—until a little girl named Amia makes a wish on her birthday that changes her life—and Tuttle Town—forever. Amia loves everything about snow, especially eating it, and looks forward to each snowstorm that heads her way. But when her birthday wish to “eat all the snow I ever wanted” comes true, and the snow from the most recent storm disappears before the townspeople wake up, Amia’s suddenly an outcast, and a town meeting is called to warn her that she can never eat snow again.This charming wintertime story highlights the importance of appreciating others’ strengths, as Amia’s penchant for eating snow goes from being a disaster to a superpower when an epic storm buries Tuttle Town. The townspeople have a sudden change of heart, prompting them to beg Amia to eat the snow trapping them in their homes—to which she immediately obliges, saving the day and changing her status from a “Snow Monster” to “a gift to [the] town.” Readers may long for more insight into Amia’s point of view, particularly her feelings when the town banishes her to the inside of her home during her favorite season, but Dee (The Dirt Girl) still crafts an emotionally resonant narrative, and Tuttle Town is vibrantly rendered in jeweled tones and crisp colors in the immersive digital illustrations from Dee and Chandrani Das, effectively evoking the small town feel, especially with the twee cottages sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods.
Younger readers will relish Amia’s imaginative talent, and Dee’s simple lesson of self-worth, paired with a reminder to be sensitive to others, lands well. Just as Amia learns to value her individuality, the townspeople must also learn to embrace the strengths of even their youngest residents. There’s no snow necessary to appreciate this heartfelt ode to self-acceptance.
Takeaway: A birthday wish gone wrong leads to a lesson on embracing personal strengths.
Comparable Titles: Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s Also an Octopus, Sara O’Leary’s This Is Sadie.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
