September 2025 is the start of the Autumn/Winter release books. And this year (2025) so far has it looking like there will be some terribly hot titles. I am not just talking about whether they have “hot themes” (immigration, new school, historical events) or are from or set in a warm climate, I am talking about whether they are going to be talked about and if they are going to get noticed and which ones are going to get awards and recognition. And Brown Girl in the Snow by Yolanda T. Marshall and Marianne Ferrer (illustrated by) will be a front runner of them.
Our narrator is new to the country. A country with snow and it is not their favorite thing. It makes them sad as they wonder where they can plant their garden. Especially their sweet potatoes. Of course, we the adult reader know that there will be a solution, but the young reader/listener will be guessing until that solution is found. Based on the author’s own experiences (they are a Guyanese-born Canadian author), this bouncy and poetic work has a relatable and new form. The illustrations have a Ezra Jack Keats-James Marshall-Catherine Stock classical feeling base, but are also modern. They have good colors and the details work for what is needed. And since Ferrer (a Venezuelan born and moved to Canada illustrator) knows the theme well, that comes alive on the page.
This book works on multiple levels as it has a cast of diverse characters, is poetic but reads as traditional prose. The song the name comes from is cute and clever allowing some humor along with the more serious theme and story.