The Stranger in the Woods by Carl R Sams II & Jean Stoick

This is a book I have mixed feelings about. I love the concept, but somehow, I am not as captivated by it as I expected to be. 

And yes, my carrot looks really silly. I need something to hold the pages open, so it was useful, but it looks a bit pointless. Sigh. 

This book is about how animals respond to a "stranger" in the woods. After a lot of back and forthing from the animals, we discover that the stranger is a snowman. A snowman made especially for the animals with yummy things to eat. Who made this snowman?

A photograph of a photograph

For loving photography as much as I do, I am not as crazy about kids books with photographs as I should be. 

But this one is well done. 

General conference to decide who would approach the stranger.

The rabbit says "no sir-ee!" but the chickadee is brave and daring.

Then there is some arguing over who is best equipped to check the stranger out.  

"I am the strongest and the biggest," says the young buck.

"I can fly faster," chirped the cardinal.

Cautiously approaching.

Really, when you think of it, it is quite miraculous that they managed to coordinate the animal's arrival. Unless they used photoshop.....

I love chickadees.

The animals eat the snowman parts.

But wait, is there someone else?

Yeppers! A boy and his sister, spying on the animals. 

After the animals eat their fill, they replenish the animals and run home. 

I love the idea of making a snowman like this. I just am not enamoured with this book. However, it is a fun book to read to kids and have them suppose which animals would come first, what animals we would need to feed if we made one in our area. It might even be fun to make a snowman with animal food if we were allowed to. But that might be a bit complicated....