The Snowman In The Moon If you Believe, All Things Are Possible… A wintry tale based in Woodstream County, The Snowman in the Moon brings a story of belief to all its readers. Ages 2-8 will enjoy various aspects of this beautifully illustrated story. Author and illustrator Stephen Heigh uses imagery and clearly written text to share the story of a snowman brought to existence thanks to a long awaited snowfall. This small community has anxiously awaited a significant snowfall for many years. The townspeople and their children have allowed complacency to settle in when any buzzing of a large snowfall begins. So when two children look up at the night sky one evening, sadness turns to amazement when they see the face of a snowman in the moon. To them, it is the sign they have been waiting for for years. In their excitement, they run and tell all their neighbors. Yet without hesitation, the townspeople turn a silent ear to the boys, dismissing their belief to childhood dreams. Courageously, the boys are not discouraged, and go to bed early that night believing they will see snow on their window sills when they awaken. As the night settles in, the moon shines brightly over the countryside. Then, quietly, the Snowman in the Moon appears and blankets the earth with the largest snowfall Woodstream County has ever seen. The next morning, doubt disappears and the town citizens gather to build a snowman together. The young boys’ belief, though questioned by many, was strong and proved to everyone that all things are possible, if you only believe. Heigh’s artistic talents are also on display in this work. Like a three-part movie, the palette of the illustrations moves from earthy and neutral tones in the beginning, to darker blues during the middle “conflict” scenes of doubt and nightfall. Then the book illuminates again in brighter colors as hope dawns and the town comes together. Heigh also uses a clever dream scene, where a painting on the wall foreshadows the end of the book, while giving a respectful nod to Van Gogh’s The Starry Night with swirling strokes of the brush in the painting. This heartwarming story would be a great way to spend an evening with your family, listening and enjoying the beautiful tale and illustrations. This is a well-written book with acrylic-on-canvas paintings reproduced in amazing fashion. Even with the main emphasis being on snow and wintertime, the ideas of belief and working together are ones that can be enjoyed throughout the year.