From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-As with Simon's previous titles on the individual planets (Morrow), this book is a perfect marriage of words and pictures. Each high-quality, full-color photograph or diagram is truly a work of art, suitable for framing. The large-print text, sometimes superimposed on the illustrations, is easy to read. Beginning with the general effects of the sun and the Earth's rotation, continuing with wind patterns, temperature, clouds, and precipitation, and concluding with smog and the greenhouse effect, the author lucidly discusses all of the terms and elements that constitute tropospheric weather. Instruments and the possible affects of human activity on the atmosphere are touched upon. Unfortunately, the full-page diagrams that demonstrate the way the sun warms the Earth and the speed of its rotation do not clearly explain those phenomena. Gail Gibbons's Weather Words and What They Mean (Holiday, 1990) covers much of the same information, but has a cartoon format. Martyn Bramwell's Weather (Watts, 1988; o.p.) is for older readers.Meryl Silverstein, American Museum of Natural History, New York CityCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Boston Globe
"Seymour Simon has the uncanny knack of making complex scientific concepts understandable and interesting. Children will be drawn into every aspect of this fine book."


From Kirkus Reviews
Remarking that ``nothing about the weather is very simple,'' Simon goes on to describe how the sun, atmosphere, earth's rotation, ground cover, altitude, pollution, and other factors influence it; briefly, he also tells how weather balloons gather information. Even for this outstanding author, it's a tough, complex topic, and he's not entirely successful in simplifying it; moreover, the import of the striking uncaptioned color photos here isn't always clear. One passage--``Cumulus clouds sometimes build up into towering masses called cumulus congestus, or swelling cumulus, which may turn into cumulonimbus clouds''--is superimposed on a blue-gray, cloud-covered landscape. But which kind of clouds are these? Another photo, in blue-black and white, shows what might be precipitation in the upper atmosphere, or rain falling on a darkened landscape, or...? Generally competent and certainly attractive, but not Simon's best. (Nonfiction. 10-12) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.



"Readers of all ages should be intrigued by this boldly crafted lesson."


Book Description
Feel the warmth of a summer day; look at falling snow; listen to distant thunder. Weather is all around us, always changing all the time. Dazzling photos enhance this clear introduction to the many faces of this powerful force of nature.


Card catalog description
Explores the causes, changing patterns, and forecasting of weather.


About the Author
Seymour Simon is the author of over one hundred science books for children. His many award-winning books include Icebergs and Glaciers, a New York Academy of Sciences Children's Book Award winner, as well as Storms, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Mountains, and many books about the solar system. Mr. Simon is the recipient of the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction for the body of his work. He lives in Great Neck, New York.

ANNOTATION

Explores the causes, changing patterns, and forecasting of weather.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Feel the warmth of a summer day; look at falling snow; listen to distant thunder. Weather is all around us, always changing all the time. Dazzling photos enhance this clear introduction to the many faces of this powerful force of nature."In this well-designed `photo-book,' Simon takes a careful look at the weather—what it is, what causes it, and what affects it. Simple, direct explanations of the atmosphere, cold and warm fronts, and the formation of snow and hail are beautifully complemented by full- and half-page color photographs and diagrams....Solid, useful, and accessible, this is a very valuable 40 pages."—Booklist.

Author Biography: Seymour Simon was born in New York City. He received his B.A. degree from City College, New York, and did graduate work there. Mr. Simon is the author of many highly acclaimed science books for young readers. He is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Commendation from the National Forum on Children's Science Books and the Eva L. Gordon Award from the Nature Society for his contribution to children's science literature. His many award-winning books include How to be a Space Scientist in your own home and photographic books on space: Galaxies, Jupiter, Saturn, The Sun, Stars, Mars, and Uranus. More than sixty of his books have been selected as Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association. Some of his most recent books for HarperCollins are Snakes, Big Cats, Whales, and Wolves.Mr. Simon lives in Great Neck, New York.

FROM THE CRITICS

Boston Globe

Seymour Simon has the uncanny knack of making complex scientific concepts understandable and interesting. Children will be drawn into every aspect of this fine book.

Children's Literature - Childrens Literature

This interesting book, aimed at the elementary student, explains how general weather conditions are formed. Using a simple but well researched text, the author gives a concise explanation of the forces in nature which creates various weather conditions. Using simple but realistic drawings and color photographs, the author helps the reader visualize the effects of the earth's spin, irregular surfaces, and varying amounts of moisture on winds that produce our weather. Various weather conditions, such as warm and cold fronts, rain, hail, snow, and a considerable discussion about the variety of clouds are included. Weather prognostication and the influence of pollution on our weather are also mentioned. It would have been a plus to have a glossary for the weather terms used in the text, however, this is a fine introduction. 2000 (orig. 1993), HarperTrophy, Ages 5 to 9, $15.95 and $6.95. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger—Children's Literature

School Library Journal