Snowman Paul Returns to the Winter Olympics

A friend told me about this book. With winter in full swing and the Olympics knocking on the door, I thought it would be a nice read for late January. I was not disappointed. Both my children are outdoor types, although growing up in Southern California they weren't exposed to snow and ice activities except for brief winter vacations. But they truly enjoyed this story and the twist it took towards the end. My boy thought it was cool that Paul decided it was much more fun to play than to be serious and learn to be a referee. A nice lesson in life along those lines.Fun style of writing and great illustrations. I recommend it highly.

Snowman Paul faces a hard decision -- should he study hard to become an Olympic referee or play with his friends? As he works out his answer, Snowman Paul teaches sportsmanship, fair play, and balance. The story, pictures, and rhymes are whimsical and loving. This new adventure stands alone or makes a perfect Olympic-season pairing with the award-winning  Books for kids: Snowman Paul at the Winter Olympics (Mom's Choice Awards Gold Medal Winner), Kids books age 4-8, Bedtime Stories for kids, beginner readers ... kindergarten, friendship books for kids . Both are perfect for winter snuggles with new readers.

Paul's story only tangentially deals with the Winter Olympics and even in the parts that do, he's giving a half-assed approach to dedicating himself to an endeavor that people work for their whole lives. Paul wants to be a referee and does an adequate job at this, putting in a solid two pages of work before being allowed to judge at the highest levels of sport. But then he gets derailed from his dream all because he misses an ice hockey game with his friends? MAN UP, PAUL. Succeeding in sport, and life, requires sacrifice and Paul seems to think he's going to coast by strictly on account of the fact that his snow composition makes him a natural to be around winter sports. The only part dealing with the Olympics is after Paul and his jagweed friends decide to bus to the Olympics (which bus went to South Korea, I wonder) where Paul hijacks the Opening Ceremony and leads the U.S. delegation into the stadium as a flag bearer. So, if you want to teach your kids that working for a few days at something, quitting because you'd rather play with your friends and then denying people that did work hard the honor of leading their countrymen and countrywomen into the Olympics just because you think you're entitled, then by all means spend time with Paul, a Frosty the Snowman type with the joviality or musical abilities.

This wonderfully illustrated book helps to reinforce principles and values necessary for the developing mind of a child. Kudos to Lapid for sharing his heart warming wisdom.

Another great rhyming kids book. My kids enjoyed seeing Snowman Paul become a referee. The illustrations were eye catching and great. The rhymes kept the story moving. I recommend to anyone with young kids.

Snowman Paul is back with another fun adventure, and like all of the Snowman Paul books, the illustrations in this book are wonderful.

The Kindle version shows the same story as the Snowman Paul at the Winter Olympics which I bought earlier as well.

This is my second book in the Snowman Paul series, and I thought it was a sweet and cute read for children.The illustrations fit very well with each page and have a warm, welcoming feeling. The size of each character and scenery in the story is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy.(Some SPOILERS) When thinking of themes, the biggest one is friendship. I found this lovely and wonderful on two different levels. Firstly, when Snowman Paul becomes so excited to be a referee, he sort of pushes his friends aside to fulfill this duty. Secondly, Snowman Paul realizes that his true passion is playing with his friends and wants to return to his group. With Dan’s kind heart, it was clear that the young boy was understanding towards his friend’s excitement and gladly welcomed him back. Both instances show the different aspects of friendships sometimes people have to deal with, and both were dealt with ideally for young children.There are a couple of minor parts of the book that I saw could be improved. I noticed that the perspective switched from first-person to third-person throughout. It is unclear if this was done on purpose and perhaps young children wouldn’t notice, but I thought it was worth noting. Also, it was unclear the process of how one can participate in the Winter Olympics. Again, youngsters may not pick up on this, but I would have an answer ready just in case you have an inquisitive preschooler.Overall, this picture book was lovely and one that I see many children falling in love with. I would recommend this to parents of young children who would love to explore the theme of friendship a bit more.

Anna, aged nearly 7 says: I like the way the story ended. I love the pictures and the rhymes.Chris, aged over 7 (a lot over!) says: Another wonderful rhyming Snowman Paul story with beautiful illustrations. This time Snowman Paul is excited to be learning to be an Olympic referee. There’s so much to learn though that it comes with a price. This is a fun story that reminds us all the value of friendship and it’s told through rhymes! We would recommend this, and any of the other Snowman Paul books, as they are beautiful bright books with fun stories brilliantly written.