Published by Peachtree

Summary:  Claire is excited about her first skating lesson, but reality rears its ugly head when she’s placed in the beginners’ group called the Snowplows and given brown rental skates.  The kids have to practice standing up off the bench before they’re even allowed onto the ice, and once they’re finally there, Claire is surprised at how hard it is to skate and how easy it is to fall.  She’s a keen observer, though, and noticing how the teacher pushes and glides across the ice leads to her being the first in the class to do some real skating.  Ultimately, Claire is glad to be a Snowplow, because snowplows work hard, and she’s excited for the next class and her dreams of being a real figure skater.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An engaging story that I am going to add to my list of books about persistence and grit, as Claire keeps going through some disappointing turns of events to ultimately find some success.  The cute illustrations portray a diverse cast of characters.

Cons:  The “hockey boy” in Claire’s class who keeps heckling her when she falls. “Know why you’re called a Snowplow? ‘Cause you clean the ice with your bottom!”  Let’s hope Claire checks him in the next class.