Clouds: A Compare and Contrast Book

There are many different kinds of clouds all around us. Clouds come in diverse shapes and colors. Some clouds are fluffy and others are wispy. Some clouds float high in the sky and others sit low on the ground. Some clouds warn of storms and other clouds tell of fair weather. Compare and contrast the characteristics of different types of clouds through vibrant photographs.

This nonfiction picture book with a cuddle factor includes a 4-page For Creative Minds section in the back of the book and a 17-page cross-curricular Teaching Activity Guide online. Clouds is vetted by experts and designed to encourage parental engagement. Its extensive back matter helps teachers with time-saving lesson ideas, provides extensions for science, math, and social studies units, and uses inquiry-based learning to help build critical thinking skills in young readers. The Spanish translation supports ELL and dual-language programs. The interactive ebook reads aloud in both English and Spanish with word highlighting and audio speed control to promote oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, text engagement, and reading comprehension.

Written by Katharine Hall
32 pg, 10 x 8.5, Ages 4-8, Grades k-2, Lexile: AD 230, F&P: F

Reviews:

These informational books are very detailed and descriptive, yet they are also easy to read and make learning fun and interesting. - Library Media Connection

While the limited large-print text seems suited for the very young, the additional information at book's end naming cloud types (e.g., stratus, cumulonimbus), explaining water cycle stages, and suggesting experiments is more appropriate for older readers - Horn Book Guide.

Seven sentences are split among 14 spreads, each highlighting a single aspect of clouds and featuring gorgeous photographs of skies...A "For Creative Minds" section in the backmatter allows kids to explore the water cycle with some hands-on activities that demonstrate evaporation, condensation and precipitation. - Kirkus Reviews

Author/Illustrator Info:

Katharine Hall is a life-long nature lover and avid reader. She hopes the Compare and Contrast series will help children use critical thinking skills to explore and learn about the natural world around them. Katharine has written four books in the series: Amphibians and Reptiles, Polar Bears and Penguins, Clouds and Trees. Katharine and her husband live in South Carolina with their dogs and two mischievous cats.