A Sideways Look at Clouds

October 1, 2017

Author Ruth (Rare Bird), who has penned nature books for adults and children, here turns her eyes to the sky in this delightful exposition on clouds. As a new resident of the Pacific Northwest, Ruth was surprised that her friends and neighbors didn't know much about the weather they experienced daily. Beginning with the word cloud, the author explores the mythology around the origin and meaning of the word. Ruth presents her own simplified definition based on numerous textbook characterizations. She then examines each aspect of that definition, from mass to visibility to water and air. Readers will learn about glories, lemmies, caps, and sundogs as well as how clouds are seeded, formed on other planets, and created by human activity. Ruth describes the science behind cloud formation, movement, and identification clearly for general audiences; her personal experiences and asides enrich the well-explained technical details. VERDICT A great recommendation for popular science readers, this book will also appeal to those who enjoy memoirs and learning about the writing process.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

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