This is an absolutely charming and delightful book, drawing on Raymond Briggs' wonderful illustrated, wordless story, The Snowman ⛄ which so many of us have read and watched multiple times over the years - indeed Christmas isn't Christmas to me without hearing Walking In The Air and reading or watching the story! This was such a lovely, beautiful book. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs is a classic, which was created into a T.V. adaptation, which went on to become a classic in its own right. So I have to admit to wondering what Morpurgo would do with said classic. Fear not; this is not a retelling. More like an extension of The Snowman tale. In actual fact Morpurgo didn't veer too much away from both the original, and the animated movie. This version was beautiful in its own way. The fact that we had the snowman able to talk to James, and give the gift of words to James too (when we first meet him he has a stutter). We're just two months away from Christmas, and one of the most iconic Christmas stories from the festive period is The Snowman. Now, in the run up to the big day, The Royal Mint has announced the release of the latest in a series of 50p coins themed around The Snowman. I also love it that Puffin have chosen to include features about Christmas traditions in different countries and the art of snowman-building.

The Snowman About - The Snowman

There are stories and experiences from childhood that we all recall with some fondness. Even if we do not bring them to mind they are in our hearts, a warm glow that never dies. It is the things we learn and love in innocence that have the greatest resonance.I think the reason why I've always been fascinated by this tale is the sight of the pair flying over my hometown. The illustrations are simple with plenty of colors which personally for me I felt like I had time traveled to a simpler time where smart phones didn't clog our day-to-day activities and we got to the innocence and pure joy of a child during christmas time. They adapted this story into a television special which I haven't seen but I can sure imagine how impactful it can be towards the imagination of a child. One of my earliest Christmas memories is watching The Snowman, without fail I make sure to watch it every year.

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs | Goodreads The Snowman by Raymond Briggs | Goodreads

This is not a review. How can one review a book like The Snowman, a story without words? It has to be experienced, that’s all, experienced through the eyes of a child. What follows is my own experience, my appreciation of a story that gave me so much pleasure over so many years. The main difference occurs near the end, and was a positive and warm addition to the story that makes it stand out as its own entity. I haven't yet read this to my son but do intend to near Christmas (it's currently only October) and know he'll love the last few chapters. Ok, let’s make something perfectly clear: nothing will beat Raymond Briggs’s classic. Not the Channel 4 film, not its sequel (which is still wonderful), not the stage production, nothing. Raymond’s wordless story is a beautiful, yet bittersweet masterpiece. I agree that nothing can compare with the original but Michael Morpurgo has only gone and made me love The Snowman even more than I already do.

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Review taken from The Pewter Wolf and eProof was given by UK publisher, Puffin, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Raymond’s beloved parents Ethel and Ernest adored him, and were a huge inspiration for Raymond throughout his life – informing the stories of Father Christmas (with his father’s anti-social hours as a milkman are reflected in Father Christmas’s work) and When the Wind Blows – as well the story of their lives: Ethel & Ernest (1998). This graphic novel tells the story of how his father, a milkman, met his mother, a lady’s maid, and how they lived together in the same house for forty-one years. An animated feature film based on the novel was released in 2016. The Snowman is built by James, who lives on a farm in Devon who is able to find his voice and confidence through his snowy friend who takes him on an adventure on Christmas Eve. The animated film was first broadcast on Boxing Day in 1982 and has been shown almost every Christmas since. The design of the coin features the young boy dressed in his pyjamas and dressing gown and the snowman holding hands and dancing.

The Snowman - Listening Books - OverDrive The Snowman - Listening Books - OverDrive

I remember that winter because it had brought the heaviest snow I had ever seen. Snow had fallen steadily all night long and in the morning I woke in a room filled with light and silence, the whole world seemed to be held in a dream-like stillness. It was a magical day… and it was on that day I made The Snowman.' This year’s edition of The Snowman coin is particularly special, being the first of our Christmas coins with King Charles III’s effigy on its obverse. We hope that people love the coin’s design and look to collect a piece of British Christmas history.”Beloved children's author Michael Morpurgo has re-imagined Raymond Briggs' classic The Snowman for a new generation of readers.

The Snowman - Penguin Books UK The Snowman - Penguin Books UK

I was very curious to finally read Raymond Brigg's The Snowman as I know it's something of a classic, and the cover looks familiar so it's possible I was read this story as a child, though I did not remember it. I have never seen the film, though I have heard the song "Walking in the Air" (and never knew that's where it came from!)My daughter is a massive fan of Michael Morpurgo so when I saw that he had released a new re-imagined version of The Snowman I had to buy a copy so both my daughter and myself could read it. The book, published by Puffin and first released in 1978, tells the story of a young boy named James who builds a snowman which comes to life. The book sold 5.5million copies worldwide and was later turned into a Bafta TV award-winning animated TV film in 1982. It was made into an animated film by Channel 4, one of our terrestrial television companies, with a sublime score by Howard Blake. When I was growing up it was broadcast every Christmas; perhaps it still is. With us watching it became an annual event. The holiday simply would not have been the same without it, as if there was no Christmas tree, no lights and no watch night service in church. I am part of the generation who has watched The Snowman every Christmas since my memories begin. It's a part of my childhood, now part of my own children's, and we have both the original wordless comic strip book and the TV adaptation version. So yes - fans. It does, strangely. It adds something new to the mythology, yet tries to stay as faith as it can. It feels like a story that cane be read with the original and still stand on its own two feet. Plus, this novella would be perfect for a parent, guardian or grandparent to read with a child at bedtime or a child to read to themselves.