Brown Girl in the Snow

‘There’s a brown girl in the snow/Tra la la la la, where none of her plants will grow,’ sings little Amina newly arrived from the Caribbean and missing sun-filled days, especially now it’s winter. What she particularly misses though is growing plants. The discovery of a book about gardens in her local library and a chat with her teacher changes everything. A school trip to a greenhouse is suddenly on the cards and planning it prompts many of her fellow pupils to talk about the plants they miss from their home countries. Inspired, Amina changes the words she’s singing: ‘There’s a brown girl in the snow/Tra la la la la, where some of her plants might grow.’ By the time the day of the trip arrives, Amina has made lots of new friends at school and everyone has a wonderful time exploring the greenhouse and its plants. Even better, the greenhouse nursery worker lets Amina help plant sweet potato slips and, as they take root, Amina begins to fall in love with her snowy country, where ‘ALL of her plants will grow.’ Both author and illustrator moved from warm countries to Canada as children and the story perfectly encapsulates the experience of adjusting to a new country, and of growing and learning. Marianne Ferrer’s watercolour illustrations are full of earthy brown and greens, Amina’s beloved sweet potatoes a gorgeous deep purple, while the little girl herself stands out in the snow in her bright pink jacket. A winter story with a difference, this story of change and growth will be enjoyed by readers whatever their own family backgrounds, and it will encourage little green fingers too.