The Snowman (book) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Raymond Briggs |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Raymond Briggs |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Picture book |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
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Publication date
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1978 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 32 pp |
| ISBN | 0241100046 |
| OCLC | 788883530 |
| LC Class | PZ7.B7646 Sn 1978 |
The Snowman is a famous children's picture book created by the English author Raymond Briggs. It was first released in 1978. This special book tells a story without using any words, only beautiful pictures. It quickly won many awards.
In 1982, The Snowman was made into an animated television film. This movie became a popular Christmas tradition. Raymond Briggs drew all the pictures for the book using only pencil crayons. He said he wanted to create something "clean, pleasant, fresh, and wordless" after working on a different book called Fungus the Bogeyman.
The Story of The Snowman
The book's story begins on a snowy winter day. A young boy builds a snowman in his garden. When midnight arrives, something magical happens: the snowman comes to life!
The boy and the snowman have a wonderful adventure together. They explore the boy's house, playing with different things like appliances and toys. They have to be very quiet so they don't wake up the boy's parents.
Later, they play with the lights on the family car. The snowman then prepares a special meal for them, which they eat by candlelight. After their meal, the snowman takes the boy outside. They begin to fly high above the South Downs, a beautiful area in England. They even watch the sun rise from Brighton Pier before returning home.
When the boy wakes up the next morning, he finds that his magical friend, the snowman, has melted away. Raymond Briggs once explained that he doesn't write stories with "happy endings" in the usual way. He believes that things like snowmen melting are just a natural part of life, like how plants and animals eventually die. He also mentioned that the book itself isn't really about Christmas; that idea mostly came from the animated movie.
Awards and Recognition
The Snowman received special honors for its amazing illustrations. In the United Kingdom, it was a runner-up for the Kate Greenaway Medal. This award celebrates the best children's book illustrations by a British writer each year.
In the United States, the book was added to the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award list in 1979. This shows how much people loved the book's artwork and story.
Movie and Other Adaptations
The book was turned into a popular half-hour animated television film in 1982. It first aired in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 on December 26th. This film was so good that it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
The movie has become a beloved part of the Christmas season for many families. It has also inspired many other creations, including:
- A concert where an orchestra plays the music from the film.
- A stage show that brings the story to life.
- A video game where you can experience the snowman's adventures.
- An animated sequel called The Snowman and the Snowdog.
See also
In Spanish: The Snowman para niños
