In Raymond Briggs' story, a boy's dream comes true. Somehow, Michael Morpurgo makes Briggs' story come true. It's a delightful magic track. It has all the wonder of reading the Snowman for the first time. (Colin Firth)

On seeing the cover for the very first time I felt just as James might have felt as he glanced out of the window at The Snowman for the first time. The magic of The Snowman never truly melts and in this adaptation Michael Morpurgo and Robin Shaw have faithfully honoured the spirit of the original story whilst adding a new magical lustre to appeal to a whole new, very lucky generation. (Emma O'Donovan, The Book Sniffer blog)

Just wonderful! Loyal to the first story with fresh elements that flesh it out for older readers. A timeless tale, freshly made but with the same magic at its heart - just like a real snowman. It's rare that a remake is ever as good as the original but in this case, great care has been given to ensure it is both complementary and a tribute to the book that means so much to lots of people. (Alex Lloyd, Books with Baby blog)

What a magical book! The Snowman is such a lovely read (for young and old alike) and has already made me excited for Christmas. It's truly heartwarming. (Hannah Timson, First News)

If anyone was going to give words to this classic, it had to be Morpurgo. A perfect book, perfect story, perfectly told. (Angels & Urchins)

The Snowman by Michael Morpurgo not only brings a much-loved tale to a new audience, it brings with it an extra layer of festive magic. We predict this book will fast become as much a part of every family Christmas as snuggling down with a hot chocolate to catch the classic animation on TV. (JUNIOR Magazine)

Michael Morpurgo plays homage to the classic tale of The Snowman, bringing James, his family and snowy friend beautifully to life through his words, in a story to melt your heart. All the classic elements of the original story are here, in a book which will surely be at the heart of a magical Christmas for many families, to read alongside the picture book and the film. (Jayne Gould, Ipswich Children's Book Group)

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo has written over 120 books, many of them award-winning. His best-known work, War Horse, was adapted into a multi-Oscar-nominated film by Steven Spielberg and into a widely acclaimed play. In 2003 Michael became the third Children's Laureate, a position he helped to create with the poet Ted Hughes. With his wife Clare, he set up the charity Farms for City Children, and for their pioneering work they were both awarded the MBE in 1999. In 2017 he was awarded a knighthood for services to literature and charity.