Can it Really Rain Frogs: The World's Strangest Weather Events (Spencer Christians World of Wonders) [Paperback]

Spencer Christian (Author), Antonia Felix (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Spencer Christians World of Wonders (Book 9)

What makes a twister twist? Where does acid rain come from? Is it true that snow is sometimes green? Or even red? Can it really rain cats and dogs . . . and frogs?

Join popular ABC-TV weather forecaster Spencer Christian as he explores the amazing--and sometimes unpredictable--world of weather. Look inside a flash of lightning. Mix up your own instant rainbow. Find out how caves "sing" and if a tornado can actually pluck the feathers off a chicken.

It's an action-packed tour of the world's strangest weather events--with lots of easy-to-do activities that let you experience the secrets of nature up close. Plus dozens of fascinating sidebars, fun facts, and illustrations bring the world's wonders to vivid life. What's the weather? It's awesome!

For children ages 8 to 12

Also available in Spencer Christian's World of Wonders series: Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The World's Most Amazing Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Other Forces

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-7?Christian describes strange weather events such as raining frogs, singing caves, and colored rain, giving solid meteorological data. He includes lore and information about legends such as Groundhog Day that will be especially helpful for the annual requests on that topic. (Unfortunately, there's no mention of El Ni?o.) Possible science-fair projects can be developed from the experiments included, such as making a barometer or hygrometer. Suitable precautions appear when necessary. However, the activities, which require simple materials and include step-by-step, clearly written directions, are not the unique items in the book. What will draw readers is the assortment of material on phenomena such as human hailstones or the famous weather-forecasting goats of Mount Nebo. Black-and-white cartoons and other illustrations appear on every page, but they're more decorative than informative.?Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

In this chatty entry in the Spencer Christian's World of Wonders series, the Good Morning America personality puts together anecdotes, odd facts, brief experiments, and information on weather phenomena. Under discussion are basic weather patterns, clouds, rain, snow, hail, thunder, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, weather instruments, and related folklore. Quirky facts from around the world are presented without sources, and the experiments are not always well-conceived: For a rain gauge made from an empty olive jar (with a ruler to mark off inches), readers are told to gather rain in a coffee can (to pour into the gauge), but not that the size of the can will influence readings. In another experiment, readers are instructed to put a flameproof glass cake pan filled with water on a stove top (the illustration shows a gas burner) over low heat to show that water moves from cool to warm areas; those pans are not always intended to sit directly on gas flames, and heating only one area may cause cracking. This in an interesting and readable book, but readers may have to go to other sources for safer activities, and to gain clearer distinctions between facts and folklore. (b&w photos, illustrations, maps, charts, diagrams, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471152900
• ISBN-13: 978-0471152903
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and interesting, May 7, 2009

By 

Amy B. Brennan (Gresham, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Can it Really Rain Frogs: The World's Strangest Weather Events (Spencer Christians World of Wonders) (Paperback)

The next time your kids (or you) are stuck inside - this is a great read about the weather. Funny factoids are mixed with real scientific information that make it comprehensible to children, but interesting for adults as well.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great information!, June 26, 2007

By 

Teacher (Vashon, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Can it Really Rain Frogs: The World's Strangest Weather Events (Spencer Christians World of Wonders) (Paperback)

I will be using this as a teaching guide for a thematic unit on weather.