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Book Review: Snow Day by Billy Coffey

December 8, 2010 By Sandra Heska King

Billy Coffey has a gift.

Billy Coffey is a gift.

‘Nuff said.

But I’ll say more.

Because for some of us, the snows of life are here.

Or been.

Or coming.

It’s time to call in well, and hunker down with Snow Day.

Because we need to find the gifts in the blizzards. The beauty in the broken.  Fist bumps in our fears. Delights in the detours. Wonder in our walk.

Billy’s first book is filled to overflowing like a Christmas stocking, spilling little gifts of laughter and wisdom and compassion and faith. Each chapter is like a box of the finest chocolate filled with sweet and chewy bites of everyday life.

This book is part novel and part memoir. It’s hard to tell where fact ends and fiction begins. But the treasures are real and rich. And the truths are timeless (and tweetable.) Re-readable. Billy uncovers them from blankets of the mundane.

This story of a day in the life of Peter, who faces the loss of things he holds close (job, home, money) and discovers flakes of hope that snowball, encouraged me in my journey to deep see and pass it on.

And I’m not soon going to forget Mikey and his sled, Eleanor and her stuff, Helen and her scars, Bobby and his game of hide and seek, the shouter who cried, “help!” or any of the the other folks and lessons woven into this book.

Oh, there’s also Beary. He made me cry.

He’s not the only one.

When it snows, you need bread and milk. You’ll find them here. In this book.

It is a gift for yourself.

A gift for others.

Because Billy has a gift.

And you don’t want to miss it.

And while you’re at it, head on over to his blog and read a gift a day.

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Filed Under: book reviews, stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Kelly Sauer says

    December 8, 2010 at 11:07 am

    ooh – what a perfect review!

    • Sandra says

      December 8, 2010 at 10:34 pm

      Thanks, Kelly. Have you read it yet?

  2. katdish says

    December 8, 2010 at 11:28 am

    You’ve captured the heart of this book, Sandy. Just beautiful. Thank you.

    • Sandra says

      December 8, 2010 at 10:34 pm

      Thank you, Kathy. Did I mention that I love this book?

  3. Karen Lange says

    December 8, 2010 at 2:49 pm

    I’ve heard good things about Billy and his writing. I think I need to check this book out. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    • Sandra says

      December 8, 2010 at 10:35 pm

      Oh, Karen. You must.

  4. S. Etole says

    December 8, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    I am giving this book as a gift to my grandson … and waiting to borrow it when he has finished!

    • Sandra says

      December 8, 2010 at 10:35 pm

      I’m getting some more gift copies. 😉

  5. *~Michelle~* says

    December 9, 2010 at 10:55 am

    Great review!

    OK, so between all the giveaways I am entering……and having it on my Christmas list…..I am guaranteed to have a copy of Billy’s book in my hands before the New Year! So excited!!!!!!!

  6. V.V. Denman says

    December 9, 2010 at 11:14 am

    What a well-written review. Anybody would want to read Snow Day after reading this. 🙂

  7. laura says

    December 9, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    Oh, crudbuckets. I want this book so bad. I keep entering those giveaways too, but to no avail. I have taken an oath not to purchase any more books until I read the ones I have. That should place me getting Snow Day at some point in my eighties. But I know Billy is an awesome storyteller, so I’ll enjoy it even then!

  8. Carol J. Garvin says

    December 10, 2010 at 2:59 pm

    I’ve been hearing a lot about this book and I think you’ve convinced me that it *has* to go on my list of books to read. Like Laura, my TBR pile is tall enough to topple soon, but it’s recommendations like yours that keep adding to it!

  9. Melinda Lancaster says

    December 10, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    I’ve wanted to read this book long before it got published. That is what reading Billey’s blog will do. Make you want more. More of God, through Billey’s eyes. He does have a gift.
    This book is on my Christmas list. Both of them are books that you have recommended. Imagine that!

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