Name: Christina Hime

Job title: Circulation manager at the Jackson County Public Library

What’s the name of the book and author you are recommending?

“The Secret of Snow” by Viola Shipman

What made you want to pick up this book in the first place?

I’m in a group on Facebook called Friends and Fiction, and this is a title that keeps getting recommended. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and have read other titles by this author. It’s also a great winter holiday read.

Once you got into the book, what made you want to keep reading it?

I wanted good things for Sonny. During the whole story, you keep wishing and finding hope she will just embrace life and overcome her obstacles.

Once you finished the book, what did you like about it?

I liked that Sonny found peace, acceptance and was grateful for closure, that what she had been avoiding was really what she needed all along.

What is the book about?

Sonny is a 50-year-old weather meteorologist who lives in sunny, warm Palm Springs, California. Sonny is told she is fired and being replaced by an anime weather bot. To say the least, it doesn’t go over well. Picture an on-air, live feed blowup. She ends up returning to her childhood home back in cold, wet, snowy Michigan. Her hometown local news source is the only one offering her a job. Her first day in, they give her a list of things they want her to accomplish and record doing winter things she loves, including sledding, snowshoeing, making a snowman, ice fishing, skiing and participating in all of the winter festivals.

Why would you recommend this book to others?

There are many fun facts throughout the book. For instance, the earliest snowman dates all the way back to the 1800s. The book also discusses polar vortexes and ice sculptures. This story is truly relatable and feels so personal. We all have our own journeys and life lessons to learn. This book is available for instant borrow through Hoopla as well as book format at your local Jackson County Public Library.