The Snowman Waltz Readers will delight in the antics of a group of snowmen who meet up with a troop of penguins. How can they reconcile the one, two, three of “waltzing out under the moon” with the four-count of “marching in a line”? Snow and ice glitter under a clear winter sky as the snowmen gracefully dance along a frozen river. The illustrations capture the “Swing, two, three, Hop, two, three” of the dancers swirling in rhythm. A turn of the page shows the “Uniforms that all are matching. Black and white and looking fine.” When the groups collide, the spread captures in mid-motion the bowties and scarves flying, stick arms of snowmen falling loose, and penguins head over heels in the air. Everything is disrupted until the smallest members of each group find a way to cooperate. The fun of the story can be extended with a song sheet and directions on dance steps to try out. Of note: It’s an all-male cast on the snow side, and the penguins, if ungendered, are uniformly tuxedoed. VERDICT: The rhyming text catches the beat of both groups and will have readers eager to try out their own march or waltz moves, as well as read the story again.

Karen Konnerth's The Snowman Waltz enjoys lovely illustrations by Emily Neilson as it follows a dozen snowmen that make their way through the woods sporting classy top hats and matching mittens. Their dance brings them to equally exuberant penguins that seem to move to a different tune. Can the two join their disparate forces? Counting, marching, and colorful displays mark a story replete in educational opportunities for read-aloud parents.