It's another week where so many books could easily have slid into our "Book of the Week" slot that we  feel honoured to (unofficially) be involved in children's picture books at such an amazing time. Both Charlotte and I talked about the many books we've read this week, and two books stood out. We both love them but I nominated "When it Snows" by Richard Collingridge.

You've probably already seen me talking about this on Twitter, you've probably even checked out the absolutely amazing trailer (which surely deserves turning into a fully-fledged christmas animated short film), and by now you should definitely know who Richard Collingridge is because you're going to hear an awful lot about him in the future.

A young boy and his teddy friend look on as the world grinds to a halt under a thick layer of ice and snow. Trains halt, cars are frozen to the spot but the boy soon discovers there are so many other fantastic ways to get around.

With teddy in tow, the young boy escapes into the snowy landscape to discover the wonders and delights of this time of year. Snowball fights, gigantic snowmen, santa and his elves and the wondrous orangey skies that signify fresh snow will soon be on the way.

Every page spread is filled to the brim with amazing detail, virtually leaping off the page into your lap. I'm loathe to compare it to anything else because it's so fresh and unique, but if you like the works of Raymond Briggs and Chris Van Allsburg and can imagine what they'd look like if they met the works of Shaun Tan head on, this is the sort of atmospheric and absolutely amazing artwork you can expect from "When it Snows"

It's not just all about the art though, the story is magical, spurring a child's imagination in the most wondrous ways. Some of you may know the ending to this book already but the message is clear and it's a love letter to the very thing that drives us to write this blog week in week out.

The only criticism I'd have about this book, and it's a tiny one, is the title which seems destined to lose itself in a blizzard of other very similarly named snowy books. So this is why I will probably keep talking about 'When it Snows' long after Christmas has come and gone, and the last sneaky mince pie has been scoffed along with the last of the mulled wine. If you're looking for a christmassy snowy book that goes further than just introducing you to a host of cute creatures gambolling in the snow, this is the very best place to start. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you don't want to take our word for it though, just watch this stunning trailer below:



Charlotte's best bit: The wonderful scene of elven faces staring up at the little boy as his snowy journey continues.

Daddy's favourite bit: The incredible snowman scene and the gigantic lighthouse-like snowman. Also the utterly gorgeous use of light and dark, and a fairly reduced palette make the artwork truly atmospheric and remarkable.

(Kindly sent to us for review by David Fickling Books)

Child's Play International have put us in the sort of really difficult position we love to be in here at ReadItDaddy, where both Charlotte and I love two books to the point where we really can't divide them down the middle to pick one as Book of the Week. So, sorry folks we're going to have to double up today and the way we're doing it (thanks to The Strolling Mum's suggestion) is to pick a book each. Stay tuned for Charlotte's, coming up next...

Both of our picks have been read, re-read, re-read again, discussed and have both been such thought provoking books that we're just happy to be able to share them with you.

So first up, my pick - The Flower by John Light and Lisa Evans.

Brigg is a super hero. He doesn't wear a cape. He doesn't even fly, melt steel with his heat vision, nor is he able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Nevertheless he's a super hero.

If you passed him on the street, you'd pay him no attention at all. But Brigg works in a library in a grey dusty city, looking after "forbidden" books.

Quite why or how this situation has arisen doesn't matter nor needs to be made clear. Like "The Lost Stars" which we reviewed earlier in the week, you don't need to over-egg Brigg's story because it is simple but has the impact of a freight train hitting you in the gut.

Brigg discovers one of the forbidden books to contain some of the most amazing things he's ever seen. Flowers. So he smuggles the book home and basks in the wonderful images of flowers and plants within.

While browsing a junk shop in a forgotten part of town, Brigg finds a picture of a flower nestling amongst the bric a brac. But it's not just a picture. It's a packet of seeds. With instructions on how to grow your own flowers...

We'll leave you to discover the rest of the story yourself but in Brigg's dark world, the tale takes some heart-wrenching twists and turns. Beth Cox (A Freelance expert on inclusive books and an absolute treasure trove of knowledge about the best children's books on the market at the moment) described The Flower as "1984 for kids" which is pretty much a back-of-book quote right there. It's dark but so beautifully told and so wonderfully illustrated that it can cross age gaps and generations with ease. In fact, I'll admit it, I have read it quite a few times on my own just to keep it fresh in my mind.

Charlotte's reaction to "The Flower" was to ask a lot of questions. How did Brigg's world get into such a state? Why were the books forbidden? And many more that would spoil or reveal too much of the book and we're desperately keen that you discover it properly yourself by reading it. It's a very important picture book and deserves to be clamoured about. Definitely deserving of a book of the week.

Charlotte's best bit: Brigg's initial discovery of the forbidden book in the library.

Daddy's favourite bit: Brigg's dark and dystopian world, like a visual depiction of the static hum on an old LP or the greyness of a cityscape under a leaden pre-stormy sky. Utterly mind blowing.

(Kindly supplied to us for review by Child's Play International Ltd)