It is Christmas Eve and a heavy snow has covered the city of Rome for the first time ever. At the Vatican, cardinals flock to the rooftop to discuss the meaning of these mysterious flakes - are they a curse or are they a blessing? Meanwhile, the pope wakes up to find that he can think of nothing hopeful to say to the faithful who will gather that evening in St. Peter's Square for his blessing.

In his despair, the pope goes outside to pray in his private garden. Here he finds a trespassing snowman - not so unusual considering the unexplained snow. Through this encounter, the pope is confronted with some of the causes of his despair: looking backward rather than forward; always saying no rather than yes, and pontificating without involvement.

Through a miracle, the pope is freed by the snowman from the prison of his high garden walls and is given the opportunity to experience his childhood again as a way of overcoming his despair. After an afternoon of snowball tossing, sleding and dancing, the pope regains his sense of joy and enthusiasm.

Waking in his study, the pope believes he has had a vision. His prayer for something to say on Christmas Eve has been answered, his dispair ended. The cardinals think he has become senile and point to his battered hat that "looks like it's been in a snowball fight."

That evening, children rather than adults gather in St. Peter's Square for the pope's blessing. Instead, a humbled pope asks for their blessing. He then announces that, beginning Christmas Day, he will undertake a walking crusade on behalf of the suffering children of the world.

The next day the sun rises brightly. As the pope prepares for his journey, the snowman is fading into the distance but rather than melting, he is transformed in a dove rising up into the sky. It is a new day - one full of promise for children everywhere.

"The Pope and the Snowman has a very important message. It is readable, humorous, poignant and emotionally uplifting. I wish we could all be like the snowman."

                  -Jackie Silberg, author, children's song writer                       and early childhood consultant