When Winter Comes

I've raved over Susan Gaber's illustrations here and here before.  Check out another of her illustrated books (c. 2000) with words by Nancy Van Laan.

Kids are mesmerized by When Winter Comes!  Nana reads it to her class each winter.  And my child came home from kindergarten a few weeks ago, exclaiming that her teacher read "one of my favorite books to the whole class today!"  Yep, I think that teacher's pretty brilliant (especially as her students were just returning from winter break) because you see this read has quite the calming effect (like the gentle cadences of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening).  Catch a glimpse of it in the rhyme and repetition:

Where oh where do the leaves all go
when winter comes and the cold winds blow?
(next page)
The leaves go tumble
tumbling down.
Snow is their blanket.
Their bed is the ground.

So check it out, and tell me, which part do you like best: the soothing rhythm of VanLaan's rhyme or Gaber's soft snowy acrylic paintings or just the complete cozy, snugly, fireside experience of reading it to your child?