ANNOTATION

Illustrations and simple text explain three types of clouds, stratus, cumulus, and cirrus.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Clouds come in many different shapes and sizes. They can be white and fluffy or dark and scary. But where do clouds come from? The answer is at your fingertips. Just open this book and read about the wonders of clouds....

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Elisabeth Greenberg

This wonderful little book speaks to the scientist in every child. From the first page it engages the beginning reader with apt and intriguing questions and answers—such as "Can you make a cloud?" "Breathe out on a cold day." It clearly explains the different types of clouds, connecting them to a child's experience with fog or the TV weather channel and it places clouds in the cycle of evaporation and condensation. This title packs an amazing number of facts and concepts into less than two hundred words. Engaging watercolors of a young boy capture the mood of fog and the fantasy of a pet-shaped cloud and effectively illustrate the text concepts—except for the exceptionally difficult-to-see idea of a cloud made of ice crystals. An additional list of facts about clouds will intrigue even adults. Who knew that it would take seven billion water-vapor droplets to make one tablespoon of water? This title is part of the "Ready-to-Read" series 2004, Aladdin Paperbacks/Simon & Schuster, Ages 4 to 6.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Two simple science books for beginning readers. The first title introduces the different types of clouds (cirrus, stratus, and cumulus) by stating their defining characteristics. In Rain, a day goes from hot to rainy to clear again, but the scientific concept is not as clearly expressed. Elucidating the cyclical nature of the water cycle without using the word "evaporation" is a daunting challenge. Stating that a puddle "goes into the sky" is not an adequate explanation. Both volumes are illustrated with appealing one- and two-page paintings that show children interacting with their environment and end with a page of additional facts. These books are aimed at less advanced readers than either the "Let's-Read-and-Find-Out-Science" series (HarperCollins) or the "Rookie Read-about Science" series (Children's). Clouds provides brief, but adequate coverage of its topic; Rain is too vague and general to be useful.-Lisa Smith, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.