A lovely pastel glow also fills each page of There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve from noted author Pam Mu–oz Ryan, illustrated by Dennis Nolan. Framed by spare, hymn-like text, three children set out on a snowy walk, admiring the peace of the woods. Nolan’s watercolors seamlessly switch from the soft blue snow-covered woods to the turquoise and sand tones of Bethlehem, while the text sets the scene: instead of a storm, a night serene. Readers watch Mary and Joseph arrive at the inn and go to the stable, as the shepherds and Wise Men approach from afar. Not only are Nolan’s landscapes stunning, so are his people. In the final spread, a young but devoted Mary tends to her newborn so fresh, pink and alive that you can practically reach out and cradle him.
Alice Cary has been spotted in several New England malls humming her own versions of Christmas carols.
