Today is World Snow Day. To enjoy this day-the third Sunday in January-all you have to do is go enjoy the snow. If there is no snow around you, you can enjoy two books I have on the subject of snow. They are “Snowflakes A Pop-up Book” by Jennifer Preston, 2010. The other is “Snow Crystals” by W.A. Bentley, 1962 (originally published in 1931).
Snow Crystals is a scientific study of snowflakes, rather, the crystallography of the snow crystal. .W.A.Bentley (1865-1931) photographed individual snowflakes. He printed over 5000 snowflakes. He then categorized and classified them. He showed that no two flakes were the same, and that they were all six sided. There are more studies on why. This book reviews over 2000 snowflakes, and includes their photographs.
“Snowflakes a pop-up book” has six full page pop-ups. One has intricate moving parts that look like spinning snowflakes. Another opens widely into the air.
A third pop-up is supported by small plastic strips that give the impression of floating snowflakes moving in the air. The snowflake photos are wonderful as well, some simply remarkable, along with the idea that each one was photographed outside when snowing. Bentley then had to develop the film. He spent over 50 years on his research.
Remember the old song from Garfield Goose:
”Here comes Suzy Snowflake,
Dressed in a snow-white gown,
Tap, tap, tappin’ at your windowpane,
To tell you she’s in town.”
Go outside and play in the snow with Susie Snowflake, then warm up with some hot chocolate, and curl up under a blanket with a good book.
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