Flannel Kisses

Sweet is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book. In truth, the other words that come to mind are Marshmallow Kisses, a Summer companion to this book which deserves its own review (in due time) and not a mere mention.

Linda Crotta Brennan’s words are simple, spare, and set in rhyme. She sing-songs her way through a perfect snowy day: crowning a snowman with a woolly cap, coming inside to eat freshly baked bread and warm stew pulled from a toasty oven, nearly falling asleep to fireside stories told at the end of the fun-filled day.

But it is Mari Takabayashi’s illustrations that drew my attention to the book in the first place. Her rooms are full of delicious detail, pattern, color, comfort, and life- each room tells a story. Socks are drying in front of the fireplace; an accordion is strewn upon a carpet; in the corner, a child’s easel displays a painting of a house with red shutters; a granny square blanket is draped over the back of a sofa covered with books while the father reads to his children in pajamas, seated on his lap; the dog sleeps curled up at his feet with a train set in close proximity; the mother places a hand on her baby in stripes enjoying a ride on his rocking horse.

In contrast, the wintery white outdoors are the majestic, magical blank canvas for the brother and sister to bring their snowy day fantasies to life: a nubby teddy bear, a woodland squirrel, and a snowman are seated for tea round a tree stump in the middle of a white blanketed wood; the children slide down mounds of hard packed snow; snowballs fly between the snow-suited siblings while a bird with a yellow breast perched on a tree branch looks on.

Her people are painted simply, sweetly, with a studied, child-like hand. Rosy cheeks, pink mouths, black dots for eyes. They are charming players in a snowy day play, book-ended by a flannel morning and flannel nighttime farewell.

Flannel Kisses is a warm and fuzzy winter read- sugarplum sweet, filled with memorable pictures, sure to remind you of your own snowy childhood memories, and quite possibly inspire you and your little ones to get out into the snow and make some more.