Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
It's Snowing!
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 7 to 9
Holiday House, 2011 ISBN: 978-0823422371
There is something magical about snow. It looks so beautiful as it drifts down, and changes a landscape so completely when it covers the ground, trees, and buildings. Snow is so much fun to play in, and after is snows we can go skiing, snowboarding, and sledding. What many people don’t realize is that snow only falls when very specific weather conditions occur.
Clouds need to gather and they need to contain enough moisture. The temperature has to be low enough that the droplets of water in the clouds freeze. These frozen droplets then have to stick together to form ice crystals. The crystals then “join together to create a snowflake” and when the snowflakes are big enough and heavy enough, they fall to the ground.
It is believed that no two snowflakes are alike, though they always have either six sides or six points. When you consider how many flakes are created during a snow storm, this is quite an amazing fact to take in.
We tend to think of snow as being something that is found in regions of the world that are far from the warm equator, but this is not always the case. On Mount Kilimajaro, which is right near the equator, there is always snow or ice at the top of the mountain.
After describing the different kinds of snowfall, the author of this book goes on to explain what the various winter weather warnings that we hear about on radios and televisions mean. Then she shows us that “snow can be fun!” She concludes by telling us how to stay warm when we are outside, how to prepare for a snowstorm, and how to study snowflakes. On the last page she gives us more snow facts, some of which are quite fascinating.
Once again Gail Gibbons gives young readers a nonfiction picture book title that is full of information and facts, and that is also engaging and interesting. Gail Gibbons has created many splendid nonfiction picture books, which children can read to help them better understand and appreciate the world they live in.