#185 of 1001 · February 1, 2021

I am gazing through the window at a world lying quiet and still under a thick blanket of snow. The soft, white expanse suggests a blank canvas, a realm of endless possibility. This theme, the paradigm of freshly fallen snow as fertile ground for imaginative inspiration lies at the core of Deirdre Gill’s Outside. A boy rushes to put on his winter clothes so that he can play in the snow. He flops backward down the front steps, lands in a snow bank, and makes a snow angel; then he begins to build in earnest. After repeatedly trying and failing to get the attention of his older brother, who prefers to remain indoors in front of a computer screen, he creates a towering snow giant. The colossal being soon comes to life and accompanies the boy as he erects a snow palace and rides on the back of a snow dragon. By the day’s end, the stream of creativity proves so appealing that the older brother reconsiders his decision to stay in. Fortunately, there’s still a little bit of time before bed, and the two siblings begin to sculpt, pack, and build. Through minimal text and soft, expressive illustrations, Gill crafts a winning paean to the power of play. #outside #outdoor #outdoors #brother #brothers #snow #play #dragon #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks