'Blizzard'

Award winner, John Rocco, wrote and illustrated Blizzard, an autobiographical picture book describing his childhood experiences during the 1978 New England snowstorm. He recounts how he and his family spent six days with their house half buried in the snow. The story centers around his solitary trip to the grocery store.

It had been five days since it snowed, with no signs of a snow plow, leaving his family and neighbors trapped in their houses. Running low on food, he took it upon himself to travel to the store to replenish his family's pantry, but he doesn’t stop there. Rocco's vibrant, Norman Rockwell-esque paintings provide a warm and inviting background for his sub-zero story. He uses a four page fold out spread to display his journey through the town, and illustrates his interactions with his neighbors along the way, asking them if they need anything from the store, and includes dropping the supplies off on his way home.

Everyone seems grateful, and in a Christmas style celebration, complete with hot cocoa, John Rocco entertains his family with a chronological retelling of his day. In the end, Rocco exclaims that they “survived” the blizzard. Blizzard is a realistic depiction of how people cope with natural disasters such as snowstorms, and is heartwarming in its presentations of a time in our country's history when neighbors felt connected within their community. This book gets 4.5 stars for its stunning illustrations, and witty text. It’s not the best I’ve ever read, but it is a good read, sure to entertain.