Seasons

March 1, 2001
K-Gr 3-These two series titles introduce basic science concepts that are part of most primary-grade curricula. They do not, however, offer anything that other books on the subjects do not, and the presentations are not without problems. Flanagan's book is the better of the two as it starts by defining weather and goes on to describe various phenomena and their causes in an easy-to-understand manner. However, it doesn't "end," it ceases with no summary or tying-up sentence. There is a picture of golfball-sized hailstones, but hail isn't mentioned in the text. The author suggests that readers look at a map that shows rainfall in different places but offers no guidance as to where to find one. Quiri asks readers which seasons they like and then mentions characteristics of each one. Unfortunately, the reason for seasonal climate change is poorly explained. Earth's orbit and spin are mentioned, but the connection between its axis and its tilt remains vague. The text states, "When the North Pole is tipped away from the Sun, it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere." Both books have good-quality, color photographs and clear diagrams. Franklyn Branley's "Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science" series (HarperCollins) titles on these subjects present the information more clearly and are better choices.-Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.