Tag Archives: Weather

Elem. – The Umbrella

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Ferry, Beth. The Umbrella. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Clarion Books, 2023. 978-0-358-44772-6. unpaged. $19.99. Grades K-2.

A girl and her pup endure a string of soggy, rainy days. Everything is glum, but pup still needs his walk!  Encountering a curio shop, the girl and her companion find a tattered yellow umbrella – for free! Walking home, it falls apart. A day later, on another rainy walk, our characters find that the tatters have sprouted into new yellow umbrellas! Passing them out to people in the park, the cheerful colored umbrellas chase away the gloomy day!

THOUGHTS: This cheerful and sweet book is perfect for rainy days!

Picture Book

Elem. – Groundhog Gets It Wrong

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Townes, Jess. Groundhog Gets It Wrong. Illustrated by Nicole Miles. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-593-32615-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Groundhog’s family tree is full of meteorologists. Now it is his turn to announce his prediction on February 2, about whether winter will persist or if spring will make an early appearance. Dressed in a tuxedo, Groundhog goes on stage and declares that winter is over, since he saw no shadow. The happy townspeople put away their winter things and plan a spring festival, but become extremely disgruntled when a major snowstorm hits the town the next day. The woodchuck tries to make amends by clearing the snow, but only makes matters worse when the streets turn icy. Sadly he leaves town seeking a new career, but returns to his burrow when the jobs don’t work out. Once home, the critter realizes that predicting the weather is not a natural talent, but requires study. After taking classes and reading a lot of books, the community weatherman is ready to return to the family business. Will he find success? The digital illustrations by Miles are colorful and amusing.

THOUGHTS: This picture book is a great read aloud and is a worthwhile purchase to freshen up your Groundhog Day collection.

Picture Book

Elem. – When the Sky Glows

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Beckerman, Nell Cross. When the Sky Glows. Illustrated by David Litchfield. Beach Lane Books, 2022. 978-1-534-45039-4. Unpaged $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Undoubtedly at some point in your life, you have looked up into the sky and wondered about what you see–why does the sky look that way? What is that light up in the sky? Author Nell Cross Beckerman aims to answer these questions for young readers in her nonfiction picture book When the Sky Glows. Shooting stars, auroras, rainbows, lightning storms, volcanic eruptions, and full moons are just some of the natural events that fill the sky with light and amazing colors. Simple and  lyrical text introduces each topic on a spread with an accompanying illustration depicting humans (or animals) observing the sky. The following spread is illuminated with color showing the glowing sky above the scene. A brief paragraph in the lower right explains the science behind the event. David Litchfield’s digitally rendered illustrations saturate each scene with lawyers of glowing yellows, pinks, purples, greens, and blues. Backmatter includes sources for additional research and a section of text discussing the issue of light pollution.

THOUGHTS: This title is ideal for read alouds and could easily be incorporated into lessons involving science, meteorology, weather, etc. Illustrator David Litchfield’s illustrations put the “glow” into When the Sky Glows and will surely inspire a sense of wonder and appreciation for light in readers. Highly recommended for elementary collections.

551.26 Meteorology          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – Seasons: Summer Shine! (Series NF)

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Murray, Julie. Seasons: Summer Shine! Abdo Kids, 2022. $21.95 ea. $131.70 set of 6. 24 p. Grades K-2.

Summer Adventures. 978-1-098-20930-8.
Summer Animals. 978-1-098-20931-5.
Summer Food. 978-1-098-20932-2.
Summer Holidays. 978-1-098-20933-9.
Summer Plants. 978-2-098-20934-6.
Summer Weather. 978-2-098-20935-3.

Summer Adventures is an early nonfiction book aimed at young readers. Bright photographs and bold primary colors are used throughout the book. Each two-page spread depicts a primary student enjoying a popular summer activity, including the beach, playgrounds, family barbecues, fishing, camping, and swimming and boating. Text is very simple, with only one sentence per page. Table of Contents, Index, Glossary, and suggestions for further summer adventures all are included in this nonfiction selection leveled for Kindergarten readers. A QR code at the end of the book enables teachers or parents to access free worksheets, coloring sheets, games, and more.

THOUGHTS: An excellent introduction to nonfiction text features. Photos depict diverse representations of children and families. Perfect for an early primary or preschool library or nonfiction section. Activities and lesson plans accessed through the QR code are developmentally appropriate and are a nice addition for easy lesson planning.

525.5 Natural Sciences and Mathematics         Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD

Elem. – Marley and the Family Band

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Marley, Cedella, with Tracey Baptiste. Marley and the Family Band. Illustrated by Tiffany Rose. Random House Kids, 2022. Unpaged. $17.99  978-0-593-30111-1. Grades PK-2.

Marley and her family are newcomers from Jamaica to their Delaware town. To feel more at home and get to know neighbors, Marley plans a concert (in the park) by her family band. However, the day of the concert dawns wet and stormy. The concert is canceled, most would say, but Marley keeps looking for a way to outshine the rain. She knows rain and how it intrudes on people’s lives–and she also knows that “rain never lasts.” Marley and her siblings think of covering the concert area with umbrellas, which they’ll get from helping their neighbors with rain problems. They retrieve a cat from a roof, bail water from a basement and help with indoor gardening. At the last house, Marley uses all her umbrellas given from grateful neighbors (and intended for the concert) to cover a neighbor’s upset animals who are getting wet. At home, Marley finds her family preparing for the concert, because, “your friends helped.” The final pages show Marley and her musical family performing indoors at the neighbor’s house, letting the rain add its own rhythmic beats. 

THOUGHTS: Marley has written an upbeat and hopeful tale about coming together to help and celebrate communities. The colorful illustrations fit well with the optimistic and hopeful message.  

Picture Book          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

Elem. – Hello, Rain!

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Maclear, Kyo & Chris Turnham. Hello, Rain! Chronicle Books. 2021. 978-1-452-13819-0. $16.99. Grades PreK-2.

Rain can sadden people, but rain is also a reason for joy! This beautiful picture book shares the delights of the rain. From the ability to help flowers bloom, to splashing in puddles, Hello, Rain! shares many delightful aspects of a rainy day. As the main character plays inside and outside, she celebrates and is delighted in all that she sees and experiences.

THOUGHTS: A true rainy-day book to share when you have a rainy-day! This book illustrates beautifully the wonders of the rain and the possibilities it holds.

Picture Book          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

MG – Inquire and Investigate (Series NF)

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Inquire and Investigate. Nomad Press, 2021. $17.95 ea. $71.80 set of 4. 128 p. Grades 6-9.

Danneberg, Julie. The Science of Fashion. 978-1-64741-027-8.
Danneberg, Julie. The Science of Weather and Climate. 978-1-61930-850-3.
Taylor, Daian C. The Science of Natural Disasters. 978-1-61930-858-9.
Wood, Matthew Brendon. The Science of Science Fiction. 978-1-61930-470-3.

Science, especially STEM, is a hot topic in all educational institutions. This set of four books reveals the science behind topics such as fashion, science fiction, and natural disasters. This reviewer had the opportunity to read The Science of Fashion. Each chapter, six in total, is chock full of information, comics, experiments, photos, facts, and timelines. The author makes sure to include the science behind textiles, design, accessories, and even color. Another interesting feature in each chapter is the QR codes leading to primary sources on the topic discussed on the page. Throughout the book, the author prompts thinking and encourages the reader to work through the engineering design process. Perhaps the most interesting chapter explains how fast fashion causes damage to the environment but with science and engineering, sustainable, environment-friendly fashion is possible. Back matter includes a glossary, metric conversions, resources, and an index.

THOUGHTS: The titles in this collection would be a good purchase for a library serving upper middle grade students. These books also would serve as an instructional tool in a science, engineering, or even a consumer science classroom.

746.9 Engineering and Technology           Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

Elem. – Uncharted: Stories of Survival (Series NF)

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McGregor, Harriet. Uncharted: Stories of Survival. Bearport, 2021. $19.95 ea. $119.70 set of 6. 24 p. Grades 2-5. 

Blown Away by a Blizzard! 978-1-64747-030-2.
Destroyed by a Hurricane! 978-1-64747-031-9.
Flattened by an Earthquake! 978-1-64747-032-6.
Heat Wave Horror! 978-1-64747-033-3.
Lightning Strike Survivor! 978-1-64747-034-0.
Tornado Terror! 978-1-64747-031-9.

These action packed graphic novel stories recount various true stories of individuals who had to survive natural disasters. This reviewer had the opportunity to review Blown Away by a Blizzard!, which recounted the story of Randy Kraxberger, a skier who was trapped in the wilderness of Olympic National Park during a blizzard. Kraxberger had to build a snow cave to survive overnight during the blizzard and stay alert with exercise sessions to ward off hypothermia. Thankfully, in the morning he was rescued by park rangers. At the conclusion of the story, a two-page informational spread (not in graphic novel format) defined a blizzard and explained the science behind how blizzards form. Safety tips were also presented.

THOUGHTS: This action-packed, non-fiction graphic novel series is sure to be a hit. Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats as they wait to see how the individual will survive their situation. A worthwhile purchase for elementary libraries looking to expand their non-fiction graphic novel collections.

Graphic Novel          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD
363 Survival Stories

Elem. – World of Wonder (Series NF)

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Barnham, Kay. World of Wonder (series of 4). Illustrated by Maddie Frost. Crabtree, 2021. 32 p. $20.75 ea. $83.00 Set of 4. Grades K-2.

Amazing Animal Babies. 978-0-778-78247-6.
The Awesome Night Sky. 978-0-778-78276-6.
Incredible Rain Forests. 978-0-778-78248-3.
A Wonderful World of Weather. 978-0-778-78246-9.

Barnham and Frost team up wonderfully with text and pictures suitable for the K-2 crowd. Each book focuses on one aspect of nature or science, acting as a pleasant introduction to the topic for beginners. Each book keeps a positive tone about ecology, learning and exploring, offering two-page spreads with a paragraph of text on each page. It’s just enough information, and may leave curious readers questioning; be prepared with answers to “what’s that animal?,” “where does the sky end?,” “why do some babies stay with their moms and some don’t?,” or “how many constellations are there?”  Two friendly children (one white, one slightly darker-skinned) and a black dog appear throughout the books, learning with the reader. The books close with Things To Do (three ideas such as inventing your own animal, creating a word cloud (each book), or designing a weather board game), Learning More (book and online resources), and Glossary (7-9 words used in text).

THOUGHTS: A solid choice for introducing astronomy, weather, rain forest and animal babies to young readers.

Science (520, 551, 577, 591)            Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

Elem. – Feel the Fog

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Sayre, April Pulley.  Feel the Fog.  Beach Lane Books, 2020. 978-1-534-43760-9. Unpaged.  $17.99. Grades K-3.

Similar to her other works Best in Snow and Raindrops Roll, Sayre has created a beautiful photographic nonfiction book on the topic of fog. The images depict this “cloud, ground level” in a variety of settings, like the mountains, forests, valleys, and iceberg laden seas. Using spare rhyming text and personification, the author explains how fog develops, how it affects visibility and sound, as well as its appearance in different seasons. The reader also learns how animals like birds and deer adapt to their habitats when this phenomenon occurs. The words and images work together to provide a treat for the senses like this phrase, “Silhouettes sing from wires and fences,” which appears on a page with images of resting birds. The back matter contains additional information.

THOUGHTS: This lyrical and sensory depiction of this weather marvel is a first purchase. It works well as an introduction to weather units and also serves as a mentor text for the use of personification. Children will be fascinated by the images. After reading this book, they will experience fog in a different way the next time it rolls in.

551.575 Rainfall          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member
Moisture