[Philip]

"The Everlasting Snow" is a short children's story by Ad Van Hoof (illustrations) and Mas Coti (text) and features young Anna, who is busily building a snowman, when the snowman speaks and offers to take her to the land of everlasting snow. This seems like a good wheeze to Anna so she accepts the invitation and is soon enjoying herself floating and spinning amongst the swirling snowflakes. Brilliant! It takes a turn for the worse, howener, when Anna realises that she is quite alone and has nobody to play with. Luckily, the daydream ends when she is pelted by a snowball lobbed by her brother. Phew...

Originally published in Germany, my copy was issued by Methuen Children's Books, London, 1974. Besides the text and illustrations it contained two press-out marionettes to make and play with, and here they are. The first is Anna in her normal garb, and the second as she appears in snowland. A very easy build until the time came to string it all together in such a way that it worked properly, i.e. the painful bit. If it's taught me one thing, it's that I'll never become a star marionette manipulator. Oh well...