Loved this book's message about improving your skills through practice. Perfect for elementary and secondary students alike. Would recommend for both classroom teachers and librarians!

A winter completion takes place between a group of animals. Readers learn the importance of preparation and hard work. Good to add to a winter book collection and for pairing with Winter Olympics. For grades PreK - 3.

3.5 stars = Good+

An arrogant owl learns some self-awareness and develops a work ethic along with appreciation for her friends in this story. Cute illustrations. Fun winter story.

This book is a great message that you have to work for what you want. You shouldn't be so full of yourself that you think you're better than anyone else. It is a cute book with great illustrations. The animals are all adorable. Thank you to Capstone | Capstone Editions and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review. I promise my review is 100% accurate to me.

A wonderful story book with a great moral. All the forest creatures are adorably illustrated and the story as a whole has very cozy, warm vibes.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! The lesson in the book, that you need to do your best and work hard, is an important one. However, the thing I loved most was the illustrations. They were so adorable.

Definitely would recommend!

Book Review: The Big Snowdown by Katy Hudson

Rating: 5 Stars

I just had the pleasure of reviewing The Big Snowdown by Katy Hudson, and I absolutely loved it! This charming picture book follows Owl, who is gearing up for the annual winter games in the forest. Unlike all the other animals who have been training tirelessly all year, Owl hasn’t practiced at all. But Owl is super confident—she believes her natural talent is enough to win without any effort. As the story unfolds, we see how Owl’s confidence is tested and learn some wonderful lessons about understanding oneself, the value of friendship, and the fine line between confidence and arrogance.

What really caught my eye was the adorable cover—seriously, it’s so inviting and perfectly sets the tone for the story inside. The illustrations throughout are just as delightful, full of warmth and personality that kids will surely enjoy. Beyond the fun, the book offers a meaningful message that’s perfect for young readers learning about humility and teamwork.

If you’re looking for a sweet, engaging story with beautiful artwork and a thoughtful lesson, The Big Snowdown is a fantastic pick! I can’t wait to share this one with the little ones in my life. Five stars all the way!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

A lovely little book about an Owl who has never lost at anything and what happens when, during The Big Snowdown festival, it becomes apparent that Owl just might not be as amazing as they think they are.

Filled with great illustrations that compliment a very important story, this is a delightful book that littles will want to revisit again and again.

Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katy Hudson, and Capstone/Capstone Editions for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adorable story with a good message and beautiful illustrations. I love the way we looked at effort and reward while processing feelings of those who didn't win. Valuable and wintery read for the littles.

The Big Snowdown opens on a group of forest animals as they wait to compete in the annual showdown. Owl is very confident she will win. She’s at the top of the food chain after all. But as the competition kicks off owl mashes and crashes her way through each round without care and ends up losing big.

The Big Snowdown is a story about putting in hard work to win. Owl can’t just ‘fly’ through life, she has to earn her place! A lesson that helped by having good friends!

The artwork for The Big Snowdown is so cute!

Thank you to Netgalley and Capstone for an early release copy of this book!

The Big Snowdown releases August 1st, 2025-mark your calendar!

Illustrations are stunning, 5 stars for those!! My 6 year old loved them too. As for the rest, I love the message and idea behind the book, but I don’t feel the message was conveyed to reader enough. I would have liked to see more development to the ending with a stronger message… unless it’s supposed to be a series with the part 2? It’s important for kids to have confidence, but also realize they learn from others too. Teamwork, practice, and commitment go a long way which is Owl’s realization at the end. I’m just not sure my daughter understood fully and was left only wanting to know if Owl won the next time.

Not only was this book beautifully illustrated – I’m more than a little obsessed with illustrations and animated settings set in the snow and wintertime as they’re just SO COSY AND CUTE – but it also offered a very good message about hard work, being humble and learning that winning isn’t something anyone is entitled to simply because someone thinks they deserve it. Working hard to master your craft, learning what works and what doesn’t, growing and developing your skills and knowing your limits and strengths – these are all important and necessary for self-improvement and, of course, doing well at things you enjoy! I really liked this little story and definitely recommend it!

This is the cutest little book! It has a great message about how you should work hard for what you want and also you can't always win. The lesson is great and I think this would be the perfect addition to any kid's library and winter reading list! I love the illustrations as well! Can't wait to share this with my nanny kids when this is released!

Overall: 4⭐
Lesson: 5📍
Illustrations: 5🖌️

Suggested Ages:
Read To: 1-5
Read By: 5-7 (level 2 readers)

"Mom's" Review
Loved the lessons of earning praise/winning via hard work instead of relying purely on inherent talent!

The illustrate are absolutely darling! The little details in the background are superb and the subtle changes in Owl's facial expressions through the story are perfect to show Owl's perspective shifting.

Not the biggest fan of the ending - but it's not a deal breaker!

"A's" Review
(Pending)

"C's" Review
(Pending)

"Dad's" Review
(Pending)

Thank you to Ms. Katy Hudson, Capstone, and. NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this cute little story!

(Full Traveling Book Family reviews to come!)

Being the best at something isn't just about bragging, it takes practice! Owl learns this the hard way.
The illustrations by the author are delightful, imaginative and FUN done in brilliant colors. Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital Galley on Thorium PDF from Capstone | Capstone Editions via NetGalley. Pub Date Aug 01, 2025 *****review
#TheBigSnowdown by @katy_hudson_illustration @capstonepub @childrensbookcouncil @goodreads #picturebookart #kidlit #picturebook #illustration #childrensbooks #imagination #bookbub #noboasting #practice #competition #friends #learningopportunity

This was a really thorough take on the Tortoise and the Hare. It covered that NOT ONLY does not practicing lead to not succeeding, but also that natural skill will only get you so far and that OTHER PEOPLE deserve to win. Often stories like this focus entirely on the main character not winning and how they feel about that, which if valid, but leave out that the winners earned their success and deserve their praise. The illustrations were lovely, and this would be a great story time book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read

My three year old daughter and I have been a huge fan of Katy Hudson and her books for a long time. This one is no exception! This tells the story of Owl, who always wins the Big Snowdown games. His goal is to do the same this year. Or will he learn an even greater lesson about the true meaning of winning? As always with Katy's books, it's a delightful story that is enjoyable and engaging for children. It has a great lesson, conveyed in a fun story, that could easily spark discussion between parents and children on the greater meaning of winning. The illustrations are also stunning and my daughter loved spotting other characters from previous books in the pictures. My daughter is a huge fan of this book, and so am I. I definitely recommend!

Owl is top dog. They have always been the top of the chain. The biggest baddest predator there is. An owl knows that they are the best at everything. The winter games are here and now it’s time to prove it. Except owl does not prove it. Owl loses at everything. All because owl did not take time to learn and get better. They just assumed. The story is great, and the artwork is amazing. I would like to see more books by this illustrator in this style. Even if it’s more tales of owl or the other forest creatures. Altogether, this was a joy to read and I think kids will love it and adults will love the message.

I really liked this and would get it for my little. I love it shows that you can have confidence, but it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have to try at doing your best. I also enjoyed the illustration style as it made it feel cozy like winter!

We really enjoyed this, we are familiar with Katy’s books and this will be a new favorite. My kids (5 and 7) are getting a little old but really enjoyed this and would give it as a gift to younger kids!