One of my students lent this to me and I loved it. It's one of those rare books that's funny for grown ups and children, and it has pictures on every page, so it's not too daunting for new readers. I especially like it because the story is told through emails . If any of you own or are in charge of a dragon, don't forget to tell me. 

Yesterday it snowed in London, and this pond froze over - slightly - you could still hear the water under the surface.

 The phrase 'winter and rough weather' comes from Shakespeare's play, As You like It. This is another of his descriptions of winter, in a song from Love's Labour's Lost:

You'll notice that it doesn't sound very comfortable - well, apart from the 'merry note' of the owl. That's because in Shakespeare's time there was no central heating, no way of travelling except on foot or on horseback, and no hot chocolate - and in any case you'd have had to wait for the milk to unfreeze.

 

WHEN icicles hang by the wall 
  And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, 
And Tom bears logs into the hall, 
  And milk comes frozen home in pail; 
When blood is nipt, and ways be foul,         5
Then nightly sings the staring owl 
                Tu-whoo! 
Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note! 
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. 
  
When all around the wind doth blow,  10
  And coughing drowns the parson's saw, 
And birds sit brooding in the snow, 
  And Marian's nose looks red and raw; 
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl-- 
Then nightly sings the staring owl  15
                Tu-whoo! 
Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note! 
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.