This term’s nature topic is weather and the last two weeks focused on clouds. Naturally we checked out some library books on the topic (recommended in a free study guide). Here are my thoughts on them in order of shortest to longest.

Shapes in the Sky: A Book About Clouds by Josepha Sherman, illustrated by Omarr Wesley (Picture Window Books, 2003)

I was a bit skeptical of this simple picture book, but it speaks of clouds in an evocative way (“Clouds can look as solid as mountains, but they are as light as smoke.”) and describes each of the four main types in a way that is brief yet vivid. The illustrations are not very special, but I recommend this book as an introduction to clouds for young children. It includes a cloud-making experiment that you can do at home with ice cubes, a metal tray, a jar, and a flashlight. There are also more cloud facts, a glossary, and list of sources. (I was amused by the table of contents and index for such a short book!). Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola (Holiday House, 1975)

I will never cease to be amazed by Tomie de Paola’s vast oeuvre! This picture book depicts the different types of clouds with whimsical illustrations in his signature style. He includes folklore and mythology along with definitions and explanations, as well as several sayings about clouds. There’s an odd little story at the end followed by an index of the ten cloud types. Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

The Man Who Named the Clouds by Julie Hannah and Joan Holub, illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye (Albert Whitman & Company, 2006)

This is the story of Luke Howard (1772-1864) who began keeping a weather journal when he was ten years old and later developed a system for classifying and naming clouds that is still used today (with modifications). Howard seems like a fine role model — a Quaker and a chemist, whose lifelong hobby was meteorology; he had a long life, eight children and many grandchildren. I really liked the way this book told about his life and also described the historical context. For example in the 18th century not much was understood about the causes of weather, but a volcano that erupted in Iceland in 1783 inspired many scientists to study the atmosphere. That same year the Mongolfier brothers launched the first hot air balloons. The authors include two paintings of clouds done by Howard and photographs of cloud types, which are very helpful for identifying clouds in the real world. The text is interspersed with weather journal entries by a fictitious modern day student, which are a bit distracting, but can be read separately and include some jokes, trivia, and experiments. The book ends with a selected bibliography. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.