Amazon.com

Most children are captivated by snow, but how many go on to make it theirlifework? This beautiful biography, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal, tells the true story of a Vermont farm boy who was mesmerized by snowflakes. Wilson Bentley was fascinated by the six-sided frozen phenomena, and once he acquired a microscope with a camera, his childhood preoccupation took on a more scientific leaning. Bentley spent his life taking countless exquisite photographs (many that are still used in nature photography today), examining the tiny crystals and their delicate, mathematical structures. Jacqueline Briggs Martin tells this tale with simple, graceful prose that will engage children's imaginations. Edifying and snowflake-scattered sidebars offer more information about Bentley's methods and snowflake science. The artwork of Mary Azarian, whose 19th-century hand-press illustrations decorate the charming Barn Cat,shines once again in Snowflake Bentley, with woodcuts that reveal an appreciation for detail as well as for the man who loved snow. The lovely illustrations and equally fresh text will inspire and comfort youngsters (and grownups too) who wish they could capture snowflakes all year long. (Ages 4 to 8) --Brangien Davis ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Review of Snowflake Bentley
I really enjoyed reading the story of Snowflake Bentley. Jacqueline Briggs Martin does an excellent job of telling the accomplishments of Willian Bentley in a way that is exciting and entertaining to children. Snow brings much excitment to all children, they love playing in it and sledding so to read about a man who dedicated his life to snowflakes is fascinating. This story shows how hard Wilson Bentley worked to show the world what he loved. This story gives a great example to children, the kids see that with hard work you can accomplish whatever you want. Snowflake Bentley is not like any biography I have read before, it gives justice to William Bentley's accomplishments but written in a story like form that will interests the children. The facts on the side of each page are a great additive of information as well.

The story of Wilson Bentley and snowflakes.
This children's book, illustrated by Mary Azarian, won the 1999 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a book for children. It is the story of Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931) of Jericho, Vermont, who had a passion for studying snowflakes. Having developed a technique for photographing snowflakes, he spent years collecting and giving lectures in the midst of running his farm: a true farmer-scientist. He even wrote a text called Snow Crystals. He noted the six sidedness of most crystals and a few three-sided. One wonders what he would have said upon hearing that some researchers in the late 1990s had found two identical snowflakes since he had never been able to find two that were alike. This book is a celebration not only of the man but of our love and interest in the natural world. Children will enjoy this book with its magnificent woodcuts immensely.

Wonderful book & idea -- throw a Snowflake Bentley party!
My son (7) thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was his first biography and he was very interested to learn about the farmer-scientist who loved snow. We were lucky enough to attend a Family Day at the National Museum of American History (Wash DC) where the author read the story and told the gathered families about writing, editing and publishing a book. The museum staff then had snowflake & microscope activities for children to enjoy.

My son was so inspired and excited by the story and the day's events that he suggested, when reading the book in mid January, that we throw a "Snowflake Bentley" party. We picked Feb 9th, Wilson Bentley's birthday, and invited all the neighborhood kids over. A couple of parents read the book and then kids either cut out or painted snowflakes. We had a copy of Wilson Bentley's book available so they could see all the different snowflakes he photographed. We ate cake decorated in a snowflake pattern.

It was a great way to share this wonderful book. Many of the kids requested to borrow the book afterwards.

Snowflake Bentley
...I chose Snowflake Bentley for my Caldecott Presentation in Childrens Literature. This book gives children a rich history lesson in a personal and meaningful way. It helps children to become better acquainted with a important person and learn the reasoning behind what he was interested in. The book also gives little facts on the sides of every page which are interesting to look over. I recommend this book for children and parents to read to their children.

How do they figure the Caldecott Award?
Of all the children's books I have borrowed/read, this has to be one of the best bedtime stories. I was yawning by page two, and I wasn't even tired. My daughter was looking around the room & sighing while I read it. Do the Caldecott judges keep children in mind when they award these books?

While I can appreciate the idea of living your dream, no matter the cost, the "tale" itsself was drawn out, boring and choppy. The story could have been told & illustrated with *much* more whimsy, for such an interesting fellow/life. I can imagine what a great book this could have been. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Great Blizzard
Do you think non-fiction books can't be good? Well your wrong. Blizzard is a really good non-fiction book. It is about the blizzard of 1888. The storm caught most people by surprise because it was unusually warm on March 10, 1888. There was a storm system coming from the North and one coming from the South. The one in the North went along the Canadian border then started to swooped down. The one coming from the South went along the Gulf of Mexico,and then went South some then started to go North. People were in panic. They lost alot of people March 11, 1888. For example, people looking for the subway would get lost and not be able to be found. If they were found they had already died of freezing, being burried, or starving. Two little boys heading out to find their grandmas house got lost then were found not long after burried but still alive. And another example is two tugboats crashed into each other. Most of the people in that accident lived but some died. This is a good book for all age levels.

An insightful, lively account of another "perfect" storm.
Acclaimed historian Murphy shows how a devastating 1888 blizzard not only shut down our northeastern states for days, but radically altered the way Americans live; its repercussions are being felt even today. He illustrates how political corruption, ineptitude, and contemporary social attitudes exacerbated the storm's fallout. Using carefully chosen excerpts from survivors' personal accounts, he also gives us a vivid feel for what life was like then for immigrants, women moving into the workplace, and others who had to struggle to survive everyday. He employs an interesting mix of graphics to further illustrate his story. Junior high school students who believe history is boring may think differently after reading this; it should also appeal to readers interested in natural disasters, and in social histories. Here's another winner from the author whose "The Great Fire" brought Chicago's infamous conflagration so brilliantly to life. ... Read more

Book Description

After rain comes down, the sun comes out and dries the puddles. But the water isn't gone. The heat from the sun has turned it into water vapor-it has evaporated. Eventually, this moisture in the air condenses to form new clouds. Soon the rain will fall again. Read on to find out all the ups and downpours of the water cycle!

Reviews (1)

Where Does It Come From?
Down Comes The Rain is an excellent book that introduces to young children the formation of rain and where it actually comes from. It also discusses the transformation of water into ice and also the evaporation of water. Children can understand the book through its simple terms and colorful illustrations. Rain is just one of the many things that young children often wonder about. It is a very good book that can be added to any elementary classroom when discussing a unit on weather or simply to have at home to read togther on rainy days! Many hands-on activities, such as putting a teaspoon of water into a saucer and coming back to see that it has evaporated into the air, can be done by using this book. I have added this book to my list that I plan to use in the classroom! ... Read more

Book Description

When Ms. Frizzle's class takes a field trip to the local weather station, they end up in a hurricane. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The magic school bus inside a hurricane
I liked this book because it is a good way of showing what a hurricane looks like, how they work, what i can/can not do. It talls you how they are formed and where you can go to be safe from a hurricane.

Aw, heck. What's not to like?
For those familiar with the "Magic Schoolbus" series, Mrs. Frizzle's adventures with her class all have a similar plotline. Mrs. Frizzle explains some scientific topic, whether it's the solar system, the dinosaurs, etc. and then lures her children onto her special schoolbus for an adventure. During the adventure the only child that is regularly singled out as the perpetual schlamatzel is Arnold, a boy who doesn't care much for adventures, thank you. In the end, the class is safe and has learned quite a lot, despite themselves. Even Arnold. Then there is a "letters" section in the back where readers wishing to complain about scientific inaccuracies (in this case, how dangerous it would be to be caught in a hurricane) are one-upped by already existing letters. The particular plotline in this hurricane obsessed book was not too dissimilar from the others, and was a lot of fun. I used to read these books to kids that I babysat back in my high school years, and certain types of children love them. The pages are always busy with text, speech bubbles, experiments that kids can do at home, and various factoids sprinkled hither and yon. I do wonder how long these series will last before it is regarded as hopelessly dated by the young. Please note that the review previous to my own was last written in 1997. Currently the show is doing well as a tv series, voiced by Lily Tomlin. Just the same, it would be very difficult to read this book to a group of kids. The books are relatively small and crammed with so much extra text that children will want to handle them one on one, rather than with a large group. Each book would pair well with a companion non-fiction book on the same topic.

This imaginative book has the creativity to keep kids alive.
I'm a kid and watch the Magic School Bus on TV. The books are even better! When Arnold gets lost in a hurricane on one of Ms.Frizzle's wacky field trips, the kids need to know the parts of a hurricane to find him. I thought it was creative and funny to include a radio that knew everything and could dance. By the time Ms.Frizzle's class goes on the real field trip, they have become experts on hurricanes. The weather team is amazed at the intelligence of the students. This book is great because it's not like those other books that lag on and on about one subject without any excitment. The Magic School Bus books make subjects like hurricanes, fun to learn about . I liked how the kids knew more than the weather team. I give this book two thumbs up!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that lightning bolts can be over a mile long? Or that they may come from clouds that are ten miles high? Storms can be scary, but not if you know what causes them. Before the next thunderstorm, grab this book by veteran science team Franklyn Branley and True Kelley and learn what causes the flash, crash, rumble, and roll of thunderstorms!

... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of our boys' top picks over years
My two boys, now aged 3 and almost 5, have asked for this constantly over a period of two years. They put it in the top five the top of their favorite books list and we have a LOT of outstanding books. My older boy has wowed several adults with his lectures on how lightening and thunder work. I highly recommend the book/cassette combination. My husband and I also enjoy listening to it after many, many hearings. It is entertaining, soothing, interesting, and educational.

Gives information on thunderstorms for beginning readers
This book is designed to provide beginning readers with information about thunderstorms, and safety. It includes information on how to make a cloud, rain gauge and web sites. Very good reading for grade levels 1-3.

Fun and educational
A fun way to look at the weather. I read it hundreds of times as a child and will read it to my daughter ... Read more

Amazon.com

"On Saturday morning, the rain came down. It made the chickens squawk."But that's only the beginning. Before the sun comes out again, an entireneighborhood is in a crabby uproar. The owner of the beauty parlor squabbleswith the barber, who argues with the painter, who has just accidentally bonkedthe barber in the head with his paint can. Then the baker unintentionally pokesthe pizza man in the nose with his umbrella, and they start quarreling.Soon, "the whole block was honking, yelling, bickering, and barking." There's noend in sight... until the rain stops, the sun comes out, the air smells freshand sweet, and a rainbow appears. Before they know it, the bickerers are helpingeach other clean up the mess caused by the ruckus, and everyone's smilingagain.

David Shannon, Caldecott Honor artist of No, David!, brings his ownbrand of sunshine to readers. His rollicking text and bright, witty caricaturesof grumpy neighbors and animals will put a smile on every reader's face, rain orshine. Surprising angles (we see the painter's paint-spattered bottom from belowas he descends his ladder) may even make gloomy readers laugh out loud! Thisbook is perfect for brightening a dreary gray day. (Ages 4 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

When it rains, it pours!
To start a book review by raving about the beautiful art is unusual, but the illustrations in this book are fantastic. My kids were captivated by the pictures and wanted to know who would be affected by the rain next. The kids are 3 and 2 and I was amazed that even the 2 year old waited for the page to be turned and never left my lap. I was very impressed by the book and thankfully, so were the kids!

Wonderful!
The Rain Came Down...which made the chickens squawk, then the cat yowled and the dog barked. A man yelled at the dog and woke his sleeping baby. His wife heard the baby crying and shouted to her husband to "stop all that yelling". A policeman hearing the yelling, stops his car in the middle of the street to investigate which causes a cab driver to start honking, which makes the ice-cream man turn up the music in his truck. A painter accidently hits a barber with a falling paint can, a baker pokes the pizza man with his umbrella, a boy chasing his toy boat down a streaming gutter, splashes a little girl and there's arguing, crying, honking and yelling up and down the street.....Until the rain suddenly stops and so does the noise. The sun comes out, the air smells fresh and clean and a rainbow appears. Slowly, everyone calms down and helps each other straighten out the mess and get back to what they were doing before the shower. David Shannon's book about the chaos that occurs because of an unexpected rain storm is a wonderful chain of events story that will delight and amuse youngsters of all ages. His vibrant and very expressive illustrations become busier and more detailed with each addition to the unfortunate happenings this storm causes, until they almost spill off the page. This is a terrific picture book that will have your youngsters entranced and giggling every time it's read!

Shannon' art a delight
The energy and excitement in Shannon's art brings a simple thunderstorm day to life. A very different book than his No, David! Series with one exception-the wit of the illustrations and the rendering of true emotions of anger, surprise, elation and affection. The words are straightforward, the colors bright, primary and active. As usual, Shannon's rendering of eyes and mouths, our two most expressive features, delight and amaze. Highly recommended for reading to small groups who can gather around and participate in the color, art and emotions of the characters. (Preschool, certainly, but for older readers to capture emotion in art).

The Rain Comes Down But That's Just About All
The pictures are glorious; however, the story is extremely disappointing. There is no real conflict and thus no conflict resolution - which is so important to the little ones. The rain does, indeed, come down, but that's just about all that happens. Unfortunately, this latest book by Mr. Shannon does not measure up to his wonderfully delightful David series or his great cautionary tale, A Bad Case of Stripes - all of which bring a great big smile to my heart just thinking about them. ... Read more

Book Description

When Pete was a young boy, a tornado struck his family farm, and brought with it a doghouse 'complete with a dog inside! Now another twister is on its way, and as a new family of farmers takes shelter from the howling winds, Pete passes the time with story after story about the amazing dog named Tornado. By the time the last story is told, the storm has passed'and Tornado has brought joy to anoher generation of farmers.
‘An excellent book to read aloud, and dog lovers of any age will find it irresistible.''ALA Booklist.

00-01 Minnesota's Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award Masterlist

00 Natn'l Christian School Assoc. Children's Crown Classic Award

Book Description

Have you ever felt the wind tickle your face or heard it whistle through your window? Did you know that some wind travels faster than a car? Read inside to find out more about what causes wind, and learn how to make your own weather vane!

Have you ever felt the wind tickle your face or heard it whistle through your window? Did you know that some wind travels faster than a car?

Air is always moving. We can't see air moving, though we can watch it push clouds across the sky, or shake the leaves of a tree. We call moving air the wind. In this enlarged edition, find out about the wind - what causes it, how it can be used to help us, and how it affects the weather.

Arthur Dorros shows you how to make your own weather vane, and in simple terms, with playful illustrations, he explains just what makes the wind that blows all around us.

Reviews (1)

Don't just "breeze" through this book!
"Feel the Wind" is a great tool for teaching children about the wind and the weather. Arthur Dorros defines wind and its uses in a way that children can easily understand. The book includes the causes of wind, ways wind is used by man and nature, and easy directions for making a weather vane. This book is a must for any young meterorologist. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book for young students learning about weather.
I am a student teahcer. When I had to plan a unit for my kindergarteners about weather, I did not know how to teach it on their level. This book really helped me to come up with the right words to help the students understand what I was trying to get across to them. GREAT BOOK!!! I checked it out from the library at the school I am working at; however, I WILL be getting my own personal copy. Thank you Gail!!! ... Read more

Book Description

When Ralphie imagines that he's a superhero named Weatherman, the Magic School Bus becomes a glider riding an updraft into the storm clouds. Then the kids become part of the storm - turning from ice crystals to rain. It's a science lesson they'll never forget! ... Read more

Book Description

Look up. Have you ever wondered about the clouds that roam the skies?

Cloud Dance takes readers on a journey up to the heavens, through thick cumulus clouds that bring snow, wispy cirrus clouds that flutter in the wind, and wide stratus clouds that blanket the sky. Basic scientific information sheds light on the altitude, shape, and color of clouds, and Thomas Locker's luminous paintings and poetic text create an inspiring and enlightening book for everyone to enjoy.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cloud Dance
Thomas Locker creates an interesting way to learn about clouds in this beautifully illustrated book. As the reader turns the pages of this book, they encounter numerous types of clouds. The first illustration shows the many different sizes and shapes clouds can assume, from the light and wispy cirrus cloud to the puffy cumulus cloud. With each turn of the page, clouds are seen in different seasons and times of day, under various weather conditions. The illustrations are eye appealing oil paintings. As you view each picture, it is like you are standing on the ground and seeing the vast sky with the clouds creating a mosaic of lights, shapes, and colors. You can almost feel the rain hitting your face when you look at the painting depicting clouds in a rain storm. The painting of the clouds that "shimmer in the moonlight" gives the reader a sense of calm. Each painting in this book causes the reader to feel some emotion--from the suppressed anger of a developing thunderstorm to the warm peace of a sunset. At the end of the book the author includes factual information about clouds. The scientific names are given for all the clouds along with a description. Answers are also given for such questions as "How are clouds formed?" and "How high does the sky reach?" This book would be a good way to introduce a science unit on clouds and weather. The illustrations would stimulate a student's imagination and could be a starting point for them to begin thinking about what clouds look like at different times and in a variety of conditions. Cloud Dance would be a valuable addition to anyone's library. ... Read more

Book Description

When a storm is raging, David and George are glad to be inside the house, snug and safe. In this spectacular picture book by Caldecott Honor recipient David Wisener, a fallen tree becomes the threshold to the limitless voyage of the imagination, which David and George share as only true friends--and brothers--can. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kat's Kind Review
The book Hurricane by David Wiesner was an excellent book. It teaches children that you don't have to always have the new hi-tech toys to have fun. All you need is your imagination. I would recommend this book to all ages. It was about 2 brothers who are waiting for a large hurricane to arrive in their town. When the storm finally hits both of the boys get really scared. After the hurricane lets up and is over the boys notice that there is a large tree that fell down right next to their house. It wasn't their tree it was the neighbors but they decided to play on it one day because they were extremely bored. They played on the tree so much that it became their little adventure world. They would spend as much time as they could with that tree. They felt safe and protected when they would play. But one morning the boys awoke to the sound of chainsaws and axes hacking away at what sounded like... A TREE!!! Could it have been their tree???

Hurricane
Excellent book about two great boys who lived through a terrible hurricane and almost fell in love with a tree. It had a little sadness and happiness. Great illustrations! One of the best children's books I have ever read! The two boys showed a bunch of love for the tree, unfortunately, it would go in the end. Overall, an excellent book for all ages!!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

What causes the earth’s weather? How do twisters form? What are the deadliest storms on earth? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Twisters and Other Terrible Storms, Jack and Annie’s guide to nature’s wildest weather. Includes photographs, definitions, an index, information on twisters, hurricanes, blizzards, forecasting the weather, storm chasers, and much more! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Twisters
Twisters are tornadoes. I learned about them in the book Twisters by Will Osborne. Twisters wreak everything. Twisters can destroy homes because the winds go 300 miles per hour. They hit in the midwestern U.S. in April, May and June. I feel excited about this book because it's good to know about natural disasters so if it happens you'll be prepared. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Snowball o' fun
You walk into your first encounter with "Snowballs" with the vague sense that this is going to be yet another winter picture book containing figures made out of cut paper. And though you are well aware of Ezra Jack Keats's "The Snowy Day", you decide to give Lois Ehlert's book a go anyway. You're hoping you'll end up pleasantly surprised by what you may find. And you're in luck. You are.

In this tale of wintertime bird feeding, the author first poses a hypothetical question: "Do you think birds know when it's going to snow?". As if in answer, we view a pair of cardinals, one male and one female, as they devour some seeds. With the fall of a new snow, it's time to make some snow creatures. In a surprising two page spread we see a brown paper sack and plastic bags full of stuff. The author says that this is "good stuff" saved for this very occasion. The rest of the book then displays snowmen, women, children, pets, etc. made out of everything from strawberries to orange plastic fish. Almost every snow person has something in their make up that is delicious to the wild birds, and occasionally a brave birdy will fly into the picture to nibble on a sunflower seed necklace or munch on a popcorn laden body. At the back of the book are actual size photographs against a white background displaying objects that were featured in the snowmen's bodies earlier. Kids reading the book will enjoy trying to find the page that presented the Guatemalan purse or the Thai appliqué heart. Finally, the reader can find out more about snow itself. Two pages full of snowman photos (all goofy in their own different ways) surround a section entitled, "What makes it snow?". And for those of you that are lucky enough to be reading a hardcover edition of this tale, a recipe for popcorn balls appears on the back book flap.

Admittedly, when you get right down to it, this book is just a paper cut out book after all. But Ehlert has taken the liberty of combining your normal run-of-the-mill paper images with life sized photographs of certain objects. If you look on the cover, you'll see that the bird sitting on the snowman's head is all paper while the piece of popcorn it holds in its beak is a photograph. The result is fairly seamless. We can assume that some Photoshopping has been done here since a couple of these photographed items occasionally cast shadows on their snowpeople. This is a fairly well put together little book. It's difficult to combine stories where fun hunt and peck tales are combined with scientific facts. I'm almost tempted to categorize this book as non-fiction for all its interesting information. Even a quick glance at the back cover consists of thirteen newspaper accounts of snowy weather.

In a way, this book is like an educational "Where's Waldo?". Kids reading it will probably have more fun trying to find the objects listed in the back of the book than they will reading about water droplets and the process of evaporation. Just the same, any book that sneaks a little science into the average child's diet is a-okay by me. You may not find much in the way of plot in this item, but there's enough originality and fun packed in "Snowballs" to keep the doldrums away.

gherring
My 4 year old son loves this book. We first learned of the book in his preschool. He came home one day and talked about this book all afternoon. The next day we checked it out at the library and liked it a lot. The book is very creative and colorful which captures a young child's attention. There are so many different items that we could identify and learn. My son wants me to read this book many times throughout the day and frequently asks when it is going to snow. This is a great book by Lois Ehlert.

Creative Fun
I'm a speech therapist with a prekindergarten at risk program. After reading this book with the children we made our own "snowballs" book. I've never seen 3 and 4 year olds maintain their attention to an activity for so long. We made our own snowmen with three large white circles, put them on the floor and the children could choose any items from our classroonm to make any kind of snowmen they could think of. We then photographed them with their snowmen and put the photos into a book. They were unbelievably creative. Since the activity did not require cutting and glueing it was easy for the children to manipulate and change things as their snowmen "came to life". Some of them used ideas from the book and "modified" a little. The language they expressed while creating was unbelievable! This book is such an excellent resource and motivation for parents in using those "junk" items around the house to help children be creative, and to encourage a natural relaxed way to enhance language development. The book is very engaging for young children. The language is short and simple and the pictures bright and interesting. I liked it so much I ordered one for my niece.

A wonderful children's picture book.
The masterful use of vivid colors and an interesting theme in Snowballs will surely draw any child's attention. The following everyday items: coffee beans, bottle caps, foil candy wrappers, and corn are all used to colorfully illustrate the components of a more realistic snow family. The picture book will inspire your children to go outside and make a snow person, instead of plopping down in front of the old TV.

A delightful and beautiful view of snowmen and winter
A visually outstanding picture book showing how all natural paraphenalia (buttons, ribbons, toy wheels, seeds, etc.) are used in the art of making a snow dad, mom, boy, girl, baby, cat and dog. Children become aware of the art of collage and the creativity involved in nature things. The book is complete with facts of winter, snow and then actual photographs of various snowmen made by children. As always, a Lois Ehlert masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Cloud Book
The Cloud Book is a great book for the curious little scientists or meterologists in your home. To tell you the truth, I thought that this book would be boring. Who wants to read a book about clouds out of science class? But, this book came a surprise to me. It explained clouds in a fun way, making you want to learn about them. The illustrations and metaphors help you understand, while teaching you about them at the same time. The illustrations help you relate everyday objects to those confusing scientific words. Only Tomie de Paola could compare the cumulus clouds with a cauliflower or the cirrus cloud with mare's tails. He also tells folk tales and legends that go along with the clouds. This book is a must on the bookshelf of any future meterologist!

Another hit!
What more do you need to say? It's a Tomie de Paola book. He's definitely one of the better writers/illustrators out there. "The Cloud Book" is a good, first introduction to the science behind clouds while at the same time entertaining the children. Teachers and parents should buy this book!

Great Scientific Information in a Fun Way
My first grade students particularly enjoyed this story while studying out weather unit. The book provided scientific names of clouds in an easy to understand way. It had a good mixture of fact and fiction. The pictures were very entertaining to the children. Every child in my class was engaged in the reading and was ready to go out and look at the clouds and call them by their real names when I had finished reading. I highly recommend this book.

Great For Children Of All Ages!
I've been a true fan of Tomie De Paola for some time and wanted to let everyone know that this is one of his greatest!This has been a great hit with my niece, as well as with all the kids I work with (preschoolers & school age). Make sure you put this one in both your home and school library. This book was also very helpful to use during our "weather" theme! ... Read more

Book Description

Molly hates rainy days. The gray sky, the soggy wait for the school bus, they seem to make everyone grumpy. Everyone except her friend Sophie, who shows Molly the magic she has been missing.The simple, poetic language in this lovely book takes readers on a journey—from the girls' first tentative steps into the drizzle to a rain-drenched romp in a puddle. The lyrical text is perfectly matched by the joyful watercolor paintings, which capture not only the color and beauty of a rainy day, but the warm interactions of the girls' blossoming friendship. An exuberant homage to finding pleasure where it's unexpected, the power of imagination, and the joys of friendship, I Love the Rain will have readers singing, "Sun, sun, go away!" ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the adventures of Bryan Bronson and his friends Rudy and Olivia as they experience the wonders of the weather. Their journey takes them from a sandstorm on Mars through the earth's atmosphere to survive a hurricane, tornado, flash flood, avalanche, and more. Along the way they see things as strange as snowflakes the size of pizzas and talk to a man who survived a nine-mile fall from an airplane.

As they read about these adventures, kids will learn basic facts about the weather and how it works, including information about atmosphere, pressure, sun, clouds, rain, wind, and snow. Experiments include learning about condensation and evaporation, making your own rain gauge, and much more. The book also includes dozens of interesting weather facts and safety tips.

Mark Eubank graduated from the University of Utah in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. For twenty years he owned and operated WeatherBank, Inc., a weather consulting firm. Mark was the weatherman for KUTV for twenty-two years and is currently the weatherman for KSL TV in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mark A. Hicks is an award-winning illustrator who has done work for many books, magazines, advertising firms, puzzles, and games. He lives with his family in Arizona. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

what a fun book!
I loved this book, my 9 year old son and I did the experiments together and he couldnt wait come home from school and see what we got to do next, this book was well written and makes learning and teaching how weather works fun and interesting for everyone. I loved it so much I bought a copy for his teacher.... This a a must have if you have children!

Clue in to "The Weather Detectives"
I love "The Weather Detectives"!! It has a clever plot--three globe-trotting kids who keep getting caught in extreme storms. The main character, Brian Bronson, reminds me of Encyclopedia Brown or The Great Brain. My children (ages 16,15,13,and 11)enjoyed reading it and my two youngest have especially enjoyed doing the experiments from the book. "The Weather Detectives" is a great tool for helping kids understand how our weather works and what conditions produce certain kinds of weather--like tornados, hurricanes, and thunderstorms--especially when they can do the experiments and make it a hands-on learning experience. I wish we'd had this book when a couple of my kids did weather units in science! The only thing I wonder is: where are these kids' parents and why are they letting them run around the world without supervision?! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must Read For Elementary Ed. Teachers!
Just today I used this book to teach a decoding lesson to my first graders. They were captivated by the lively illustrations and quite entertained by the clever humor. This book lends itself well to a quick, low maintenance, yet creative activity. We began to make our own book in a similar fashion. Students completed the sentence, "The _____est thing in the world is ______." They came up with some very creative responses and then illustrated them. We are looking forward to putting our book together right away and sharing it! This book could be used at different levels up through 3rd grade to target a variety of skills. ... Read more