From Booklist
Gr. 3-5. Volumes in the Science of Weather series, explore the effects of natural phenomenon, two books to each topic. One book discusses the effects of the phenomenon on people, while the second looks at how it affects the planet. With each volume 32 pages, it might have been more useful and cost-effective (for libraries) if each subject had been covered in a single, longer volume. Rain and People considers the role of fresh water and rain in health, agriculture, the construction of buildings and roads, as well as how people use water for power. Flood control and acid rain are also addressed. Among the topics introduced in Rain and the Earth are the water cycle, types of clouds, water pollution, and the effects of rain on plants, animals and ecosystems. The segmentation of ideas into a series of titled, double-page spreads leads to a rather cursory discussion chopped into a number of subtopics and lacking much development of ideas. Each volume offers several good, simple science activities, illustrated with watercolors. Generally, one or two captioned, color photographs appear on each page. Words in bold type appear in the appended glossaries. More books in this visually attractive series, concerning drought, ice, snow, storms, and wind, will appear this fall. For larger collections. Carolyn Phelan
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