This is one of the all time favourites of any nursery and certainly a book to turn back to time and time again whether you’re a child or an adult. No words, just the most wonderful pictures telling a poignant and moving story about a boy and a snowman. It’s a book that will fire the imagination of every child because they themselves can create the words to go with the pictures. Not just a classic but THE classic of all time, in our humble opinion. A book for parents to ‘read’ aloud with young children as well as perfect for slightly older children to immerse themselves in an imaginary world.
Spend Christmas with everyone's favourite Snowman! One winter's night, a snowman comes to life and an unforgettable adventure begins. Raymond Briggs' classic is a true piece of Christmas magic - narrated entirely through pictures, it captures the wonder and innocence of childhood and is recognised throughout the world. The Snowman is the perfect festive read for ALL the family!
In Raymond Briggs' story, a boy's dream comes true. Somehow, Michael Morpurgo makes Briggs' story come true. It's a delightful magic track. It has all the wonder of reading the Snowman for the first time.—Colin Firth
On seeing the cover for the very first time I felt just as James might have felt as he glanced out of the window at The Snowman for the first time. The magic of The Snowman never truly melts and in this adaptation Michael Morpurgo and Robin Shaw have faithfully honoured the spirit of the original story whilst adding a new magical lustre to appeal to a whole new, very lucky generation.—Emma O'Donovan, The Book Sniffer blog
Just wonderful! Loyal to the first story with fresh elements that flesh it out for older readers. A timeless tale, freshly made but with the same magic at its heart - just like a real snowman. It's rare that a remake is ever as good as the original but in this case, great care has been given to ensure it is both complementary and a tribute to the book that means so much to lots of people.—Alex Lloyd, Books with Baby blog
What a magical book! The Snowman is such a lovely read (for young and old alike) and has already made me excited for Christmas. It's truly heartwarming.—Hannah Timson, First News
The Snowman by Michael Morpurgo not only brings a much-loved tale to a new audience, it brings with it an extra layer of festive magic. We predict this book will fast become as much a part of every family Christmas as snuggling down with a hot chocolate to catch the classic animation on TV.—JUNIOR Magazine
Michael Morpurgo plays homage to the classic tale of The Snowman, bringing James, his family and snowy friend beautifully to life through his words, in a story to melt your heart. All the classic elements of the original story are here, in a book which will surely be at the heart of a magical Christmas for many families, to read alongside the picture book and the film.—Jayne Gould, Ipswich Children's Book Group
If anyone was going to give words to this classic, it had to be Morpurgo. A perfect book, perfect story, perfectly told.—Angels & Urchins
Author
About Raymond Briggs
Raymond Briggs (1934-2022) was one of our most respected and beloved artists. Born in Wimbledon Park in 1934, he studied at the Wimbledon School of Art and later at the Slade School of Fine Art, and went on to produce a treasure trove of work. He created characters that are now icons for generations of children, including Fungus the Bogeyman, Father Christmas and, of course, the beloved Snowman.
He won many awards over his career including the Kurt Maschler Award, The Children's Book of the Year, Dutch Silver Pen Award, and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award twice for his Mother Goose Nursery Treasury and Father Christmas.
Raymond Briggs was awarded the BookTrust 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award. The BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates the body of work of an author or illustrator who has made an outstanding contribution to children's literature. The award was set up in 2015 to celebrate an author or illustrator's outstanding contribution to children's books. The first winner was Shirley Hughes, author of Dogger and the Alfie series, whilst Judith Kerr was awarded the accolade in 2016.
Discussing the impact of Raymond Briggs’ work, Judge Shami Chakrabarti said: "Raymond is a true artistic genius who has touched the hearts of millions of children of all ages. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and his particular style of illustration is unmistakable as are his understated and poignant words of narrative and dialogue. His talent expresses his values and with his choice and treatment of subjects he brings our history and contemporary challenges to life."
The biography of his parents in graphic novel form, Ethel & Ernest, became a bestseller in the UK; see below a trailer for the animated feature film based on the novel.
