Wind

January 1, 2004
K-Gr 2-This beginning reader offers a simple introduction to an interesting topic. Bauer explains the general concept of how wind is produced and some of its tangible effects on our lives. For example, wind helps birds fly, carries plant seeds, and allows people to fly kites. It also moves clouds, makes waves, and can bend trees. "Wind can be scary. Or it can sing a gentle song." Wallace's watercolor artwork shows a young girl and her dog performing a variety of outdoor activities, the child's braids often flying in the breeze. The pictures help to clarify the text, which does a good job of introducing simple concepts and weather terms in an easy-reader format. Refer report writers to Arthur Dorros's Feel the Wind (1990) or Vicki Cobb's I Face the Wind (2003, both HarperCollins), both of which offer more thorough information for young readers.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2003
Reviewed with Marion Dane Bauer's "Snow."

Gr. 1-2. Bauer is such a good writer that even when she's limited to approximately 75 words, she can still put together an interesting text. These Ready-to-Read books not only capture the excitement that comes with snow, it explains how snow is formed: "Clouds are crystals of ice. Each bit of ice clings to a speck of dust . . . they grow so heavy that they drop from the cloud." And she follows the snow that melts into rivers and lakes to give the earth "a cool refreshing drink." Wallace's artwork, childlike and child friendly, works well with the words, although most of the pictures concentrate on fun in the snow rather than the scientific aspects. A final page, "Facts about Snow," offers interesting tidbits for teachers and parents to share with kids. "Wind," a companion volumes, follows the same format. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)