Are you looking for a wintry picture book that incorporates the magic of the snowy season with the whimsical and warm enchantment of Valentine’s Day? We have just the book for you. Radiator the Snowman, by Tami Parker, is a beautifully crafted picture book that tells the tale of a well-loved junkyard snowman who wants to leave the dinginess of his surroundings and join a society of finer and more prestigious snowmen.
This story follows Radiator through his extraordinary journey and shows how in the end, radiating love to those around you is more important than any prestige and honor. This picture book contains the theme of friendship and embracing one’s uniqueness. It is a lovely picture book for younger elementary students to even middle schoolers as they recognize one should never change oneself just to fit in.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
In the most distinguished village where Radiator the Snowman lives, our young junkyard snowman longs to be like the festive snowmen on display each night in the town square. However, because of his surroundings and dirty appearance, he has always been far away from the joyful festivities. Nevertheless, late one cold winter night Radiator receives an opportunity to become a member of this Top Hat Society of Finer Snowmen. It is the chance he has always longed for.
Join Radiator on his journey as he contemplates whether to embrace this exciting opportunity or remain loyal to his friends in the familiar surroundings of the junkyard. This delightful tale is filled with snowy adventures and the importance of friendship. Don’t miss out on the enchanting story of Radiator the Snowman and the choices that will shape his destiny!
The author, Tami Parker, is my mother. I may be biased, but because I know the author personally, I know the deep motivation and reasons for her writing this book, which makes it all the more captivating. We recently worked together to remaster Radiator the Snowman for its 6th anniversary of publication. While I know her personal motivations for writing this wonderful book, I thought it would be amazing if others knew it too. I interviewed my mother, and here is what she had to say about her book.
Radiator the Snowman Author Interview Questions
1. Explain where and how the idea of creating Radiator the Snowman came about.
As an elementary librarian, I read many books each year, of course. Even though lots of books in my library are fiction, I also believe many true emotions or feelings belonging to the author are secretly tucked inside the pages of each story.
With the creation of Radiator, the one cartoon I remember most from my childhood was Frosty the Snowman. Something about that particular story made me feel so joyful. In the very beginning, a problem pops up, quite literally. When the magical bunny pops out of the hat and escapes at the beginning, it brings immense joy to the children in the cartoon.
Another favorite part of mine was when the children marched down the town square. But then, the saddest event occurred which threw all that joy out the window…Frosty melted. To this day, I still shed a tear. Even though I know Santa will save Frosty and bring him to life and set that mean magician straight, it still pulls up so many emotions. To me, that is such a great story.
When a story can take the reader along on a journey of so many emotions throughout and come to a perfect resolution or closure at the end, that is an incredible tale. It’s like the warming of the heart.
So, when I decided I wanted to write a fun and charming book for January, I wanted to create something similar to Frosty, but without the Christmas element. I wanted to create a heartwarming story to read to children in the winter, the coldest months of the year, to warm their hearts and bring them joy, as well. Then one day in January, I was shopping in an Amish gift shop and saw the cutest gift, a snowman with a very long top hat. I had to purchase him immediately, and from there, the ideas flowed until Radiator the Snowman was born.
2. How long did it take to get the story written? How many rewrites did you do? Explain the process.
Honestly, it took about 2 weeks to actually write the story and then a little over two weeks or more working with the editor as rewrites flew back and forth through intense emails. This is not to even begin to discuss the rewrites that occurred during the illustration process of the book.
However, most of the writing happened in my mind long before the story was ever penned. I would say this part took at least a year or more. I have a long commute back and forth to school and of course, since I can’t write during this time, I created or expanded the story in my mind each day. Sometimes dramatic things would happen in the library during the day with my students. While that particular incident was on my mind, I would add it to the story as well.
Then, after the story was fully created in my head, with each small detail, all the dramatic moments, with all the highs and lows, I sat down at my computer and wrote. During the “fingers to the keyboard stage,” I am intense. There can be no interruptions. At this point, the story seems to say, “I am ready to meet and greet the world now. This is my time to be born. Everything else must take a backseat.”
After about two weeks, I am ready to present the story to the editor for review. From this point, the intense rewrites begin. Once they are complete and my emotions of having to change a lot of my story have calmed back down, it is time to begin the illustrations.
3. How did you illustrate the book and how long did that take? Explain this process as well.
Not only do I write all of my stories, but I also illustrate them as well. I believe this comes from many areas. Before I became a librarian, I truly considered becoming an art teacher instead. Long ago, I would entertain my students when I was a classroom teacher by doing art projects with them and teaching them how to draw, use colors for added details, etc. It also came with a price for them. If they earned extra points for good behavior during the week or they all did a great job on their tests, they earned arts and crafts on Friday afternoons. Psst, I secretly wanted them to earn those points so I could have fun pretending I was an art teacher.
However, even as a student in school, I loved art, but at that time, I didn’t have an art teacher. Everyone’s classroom teacher taught art, and much of that depended on whether he or she loved art themselves. Nonetheless, my talents did shine through. I remember winning an art contest in first grade and having my picture taken for the local paper, as well as winning a drawing contest in third grade for my illustration of a nutcracker. But when I reached fourth, my writing and reading skills emerged and took over. I believe talents begin younger than most people realize. So if any students are reading this, and you love art, maybe becoming an author/illustrator can be in your future too.
Adobe Illustrator
Presently, I love illustrating my own stories through Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator provides me with so many colors and textures, as well as shapes to play with. If something doesn’t turn out right, I can delete it and begin again. I love technology as my students will easily tell you. To be able to illustrate my own stories through the help of a computer is incredible to me.
Check out Adobe Creative Cloud for more info.
However, I will tell you that there is a learning process with Adobe Illustrator. I was fortunate enough to have a professor who offered lots of classes on Illustrator combined with storytelling methods while I obtained my Master’s degree in Instructional Technology. His techniques were my foundation. However, a lot of what I learn comes from not being scared of mistakes but persisting through as I go. I tell my students that they never need instruction with their video games at home because they aren’t scared of failing but are determined to win. With that, I put that same energy into my illustrations as well.
please visit Canva For Education.
I do understand the complications surrounding using Illustrator. Most schools do not offer it to students until high school, which is a shame. However, due to this, I have found another method. I teach my students how to illustrate their stories using Canva for Education. They do have so much fun with this. I can see many budding authors and illustrators through its utilization already.
4. What do you hope students learn from the story of Radiator the Snowman? What was your purpose for writing it?
As the story, Radiator the Snowman, came to life, I didn’t know what I wanted students to learn from this book. At the time, I just wanted them to read or listen to a charming story about a lonely snowman who lived in a junkyard and wanted his life to change. I truly didn’t have an intentional theme or lesson. However, after I shared my original story with my students, grades Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, I asked them what the author wanted them to learn. Now at this point, they didn’t know I was the author. I kept that a secret.
Want more concerning the theme of this book?
The lessons my students learned from my story amazed me.
- Friendship with others is extremely important.
- True friendship is more important than winning an award or game.
- Always be kind because you never know how much your kindness means to another.
- True friendship with one or two is more important than being popular with many.
- It’s important to be your true self and not pretend to be someone you are not.
- Don’t make fun of someone because they are different from you. Instead, be their friend.
- When you are sad, it is okay to lean on your friends for support.
- When something bad happens, focus on the good around you, like your friends.
- Be your true self, no matter what others think.
- Caring about others matters most.
- Everyone should be included and treated with kindness.
- Small acts of kindness make a big difference.
5. How do you personally connect with the story?
As I said before, I believe a lot of truth concerning the author is in each story. I think I connected personally with Radiator in many ways. Many children love their friends but seem to want more. I see this all the time. They have a best friend, someone who is always there for them. However, for some reason, as humans, we feel the need to want to be friends with the more trendy student or group of friends instead of appreciating that one true friend who is always there for us.
With that, I wanted the reader to see that many others have these feelings as well. This happens from Kindergarten to high school. I know. I watch it each day. However, I also wanted the readers to see that sometimes the relationships with the friends they wished they had don’t always turn out like they thought they would, such as with Radiator.
I wanted students to know it’s awesome to go for your dreams. However, don’t forget about the ones that helped you along the way either. I think one of the reasons I chose a lonely snowman, a rambunctious dog, a group of abandoned kittens, and an old wise owl was to not put a face on each character, per se, if I used humans for this part. In this way, it tames the storyline and lets everyone enjoy the story, seeing these individuals they have connections with in real life through the illustrations of a group of adorable animals and a snowman instead.
Another personal connection I had was with the story of Cinderella and how she felt if she could just attend that ball, her life would change. But what would have happened if the prince never arrived with her lost shoe? Would she have appreciated the characters, like the mice, birds, etc. even more? Would she have realized they were her true friends from the beginning? It gives you something to think about.
6. Why does Radiator the Snowman make such a good January/February picture book?
When I first decided to write about a snowman, I wanted the book to center around January and February, not December. I wanted a charming book for these cold months, something children could sip cocoa and enjoy reading along with their parents or guardians. I wanted it to be heartfelt.
Curl up with your Winter Read today.
Many people love summer, but I prefer winter and a hygge lifestyle. Hygge is the art of creating a snug and inviting space. Imagine for a moment, leaving the cold, windy, outside world in the winter and stepping into a living room embraced with the gentle glow of candles, plush blankets, warm beverages, such as milky cocoa, and a comforting book to read after a long day’s journey. Ah, that’s hygge to me.
I also wanted a book parents or guardians would read with their children and enjoy themselves as well. So many parents have expressed to me how much they loved the story as well when they read it with their children. Plus, they enjoyed the natural conversation starters this story created.
I love picture books, but I also love picture books that take the readers along on a transforming journey that can be shared between a parent and child. I want the parents to enjoy the story just as much. To me, a good story takes both adults and child through the journey, bringing them closer together as they both share the same emotions throughout the storyline.
With all this, Radiator the Snowman makes the perfect book to enjoy with your children or students during January and February. It could easily be used as starter points for acts of kindness, dealing with strong emotions, and the comforts of having and appreciating good friends.
Read more about self-care and hygge:
7. What would you like students to know if they are thinking about becoming writers and/or illustrators?
I truly believe all students have the gift to become amazing authors or illustrators, or both. The time to encourage this is now. All children are so creative. Just ask one to tell you a story, Believe me, almost all have this skill. However, when they have to place these same words and emotions on paper with a pencil, this story seems to instantly freeze.
With this, I believe one way to encourage writing at an early age is through journal writing and doodling. Journals, combined with doodling, seem to take the edge off of the fear of writing, and it helps let out emotions, whether good or bad, at the same time. Journaling helps to relax the student, letting their ideas and emotions flow freely.
A perfect example of this is from the book, Smile, by New York Times best-selling author/illustrator Raina Telgemeier. Telgemeier first began writing and doodling in her journal when she was ten. However, when she began middle school a year later, a terrible accident happened. She severely injured her front teeth and had to spend many years going through painful orthodontic procedures. She wrote and doodled all these memories with intense emotions in her journal. Years later as an adult, she returned to that journal and used those memories to create her best-selling book, Smile. Raina Telgemeier is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts, and Guts.
With this in mind, it is never too young to begin to write and draw in the hopes of becoming an author or illustrator or both. Right now, children have the voice that all grown authors want to emulate. If our students would just document their thoughts and actions in a journal, wow! The world would soon be filled with some awesome writers.
Radiator the Snowman Resource
To teach this lovely book, we have developed a resource companion. This resource contains comprehension questions, writing assignments, theme and conflict exploration, vocabulary, and even a fun glyph craft. This resource will keep your students learning and engaged for two weeks. Recommended for grades 4-7.
Book Companion Includes:
- Comprehension Questions
- Self-Acceptance Writing
- Types of Conflict Activity
- Theme Activity
- Snowman Glyph
- Heart/Love Writing Activity
- Vocabulary Cards
- Do It Yourself Vocabulary Cards
- Vocabulary Activities
- Vocabulary Test with Answer Key
- Bulletin Board Header: Winter Blue & Black and White
- Bulletin Board Border
Conclusion
I highly recommend Radiator the Snowman by Tami Parker as your winter read-aloud. The themes of radiating love, friendship, and acceptance are perfect lessons that should be emphasized as we inch closer to Valentine’s Day. The snowy setting and winter animals will engage young and older students alike. The lovely illustrations and the warmness of our character, Radiator, will charm and delight your students this winter season. Thank you to Tami Parker for letting us in on her motivations and purposes for writing this beautiful book.
