What wonders a snowy day can bring! Rolie Polie Olie, a cute little arthropodish robot, often wishes for snow in his frost-free land. One day his dream comes true--the sun blows a bulb and snow begins to fall. Olie and his sister Zowie decide to build a buddy--named Mr. Snowie! As with the legendary Frosty the Snowman, all is well until the sun returns to its bright, warm state, then suddenly Mr. Snowie is in danger. "What to do? What to do? They had a friend they couldn't keep cool!" There's only one solution. It's time to rocket to Chillsville where they encounter scores of frosty friends for Mr. Snowie, including one very familiar looking jolly fellow with a white beard and a belly like a bowl full of jelly.

William Joyce, author-illustrator of Rolie Polie Olie, Rolie Polie Olie: A Little Spot of Color, and many other popular picture books, delights young readers with his quirky computer-generated characters and lighthearted adventures. Vivid colors, jaunty shapes, and playful, simple text are trademarks of Joyce's unique, contemporary style. (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie Coulter


From Booklist
Ages 4-7. Joyce, whose wacky concepts morph into unforgettable art, here revels in the artistic capabilities of the computer. Rolie Polie Olie, the little round robot (now also a Disney TV star), returns in a story of snowmen and Santa (the high-tech Klanky Klaus). On the day Rolie's snowless planet blows a bulb and experiences a snowstorm, he builds a snowman, Mr. Snowie. But the sun gets a new bulb and Snowie begins to melt, so it's off to Chillsville, where, after a tussle with the North Wind, Rolie and friends eat some snowball pie, dance a chilly cha-cha, and leave Snowie safe with Santa. The story is slim and told in an uncomplicated text whose only real allure comes from hanging on to the fantastic pictures. Joyce's pictures are computer-generated with 3-D imaging that makes the rows of snowmen, bedecked in candy-cane-striped scarves, Santa in his rocket-powered sleigh, and the planet-hopping Rolie all seem as if they're about to zoom off the pages into the reader's lap. Yet despite the sophisticated techniques involved, the book has a goofball sensibility combined with a straightforward simplicity that will appeal to readers of all ages. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Rolie Polie Olie's back with his new pal, Mr. Snowie! Together they rocket to Chillsville to meet Klanky Klaus and dance the chilly cha cha...


Card catalog description
When the sun begins to melt the snow, Olie and Zowie take their snowman friend, Mr. Snowie, to a new home in Chillsville.


About the Author
William Joyce is the author and illustrator of many best-selling and award-winning picture books, including Rolie Polie Olie, Snowie Rolie, Dinosaur Bob, Santa Calls, and George Shrinks. He is also the creator of the Emmy Award-winning series Rolie Polie Olie on the Disney Channel. William Joyce lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, with his lovely wife, Elizabeth, and their children, Jack and Mary Katherine. They also have a dachshund named Rose.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Join Rolie Polie Olie, the fun-loving hero of Disney's Emmy Award-winning TV show, for an out-of-this-world winter wonderland adventure! In this charming sequel to the popular Rolie Polie Olie, Olie's back with his new pal, Mr. Snowie. Together, they rocket to Chillsville to meet Klanky Klaus and dance the chilly cha-cha!

ANNOTATION

When the sun begins to melt the snow, Olie and Zowie take their snowman friend, Mr. Snowie, to a new home in Chillsville.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Rolie Polie Olie's back with his new pal, Mr. Snowie! Together they rocket to Chillsville to meet Klanky Klaus and dance the chilly cha cha...

FROM THE CRITICS

Sesame Street Parents

Think of Frosty the Snowman, but with a high-tech twist. Rolie Polie Olie of TV fame and his friend Zowie build Mr. Snowie, a snowman who becomes their pal. But as luck would have it, the mercury rises, and Mr. Snowie begins to melt. So the kids take him on a rocket to Chillsville, where they eat icicle cake and dance the chilly cha-cha. The book's computer-generated images are like 3-D toys on the page.

Children's Literature

Rolie Polie Olie is back with a winter's tale in this sequel to the popular Rolie Polie Olie, which has been made into a television series on the Disney Channel. Olie gets his wish for snow when his planet's sun blows a light bulb. He and his sister Zowie build Mr. Snowie when the planet is covered with snow. The predictable plot then tracks the Frosty the Snowman storythe children need to bring Mr. Snowie to a colder planet after the sun's light bulb is replaced because he is quickly melting. They rocket to Chillsville, the home of Klanky Klaus, who rewards them with snowdrop soup and other chilly treats. When Klaus and his reindeer bring the children back home, Klaus leaves them with a little memento of their new friend. The striking illustrations carry the book's weak plot line. This title is sure to appeal to the growing legion of Olie fans. 2000, Laura Geringer/HarperCollins, $15.95 and $15.89. Ages 2 to 8. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati 0060292857

Kirkus Reviews

Joyce makes a foray into Polar Express territory with this flaky follow-up to Rolie Polie Olie (1999). When the sun blows a bulb, Rolie and little sister Zowie take advantage of the ensuing snowfall to build Mr. Snowie, a carrot-nosed new friend. Thanks to prompt Solar servicing, though, the heat soon comes back, so to keep Mr. Snowie from suffering a meltdown, all rocket off to Chillsville for snowdrop soup, icicle cake,"sky-high snowball pie," and a"chilly cha-cha" with a chorus line of Mr. Snowie lookalikes. Catching a ride home on Santa's sleigh, which resembles a retro model Star Wars pod racer, Rolie and Zowie find a snow globe left for them, a memento both of their friend and of a day"happy, sad, and everything in between." Seemingly constructed from robot parts and gumballs, Olie and buddies pose in scenes that look like set-piece dioramas, all glossy, rounded shapes and sharp shadows. Unlike its predecessor, the text is prose, and less sprightly—but the story line is strong and witty enough to hold its own with the quirky, heavily worked visual concept. (Picture book. 6-8)