Thunder and Lighting

Children's Literature

Lightning flashes and strikes the air or the ground. It makes a sound called thunder. Light moves faster than sound, so we see lightning before we hear thunder. Lightning can cause a fire if hits the ground and it is important to stay away from lighting. This Level One reader is part of the "Wonder Books" series designed to help young children learn to read while reading to learn. This is part of a new emphasis on nonfiction material in all levels of reading development. The text is very large and each page contains no more than two sentences, most pages just have one. A photograph illustrates each page of text. The photographs range from very straightforward to more offbeat. There are many dramatic photographs of lightning. However, the image quality is not consistent. Many of the photographs are adequate but not exceptional. A glossary of new words is included. 2003, The Child's World, Ages 4 to 7.
— Kristin Harris

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2–Since it covers both seasons and weather, this series is a better choice than ABDO’s similarly titled “Weather Watchers.” The format is the same as that of The Child’s World’s “Earth’s Continents,” with plainly written text opposite a full-page illustration on each spread. The books on the seasons explain when it is in relation to the others, what the weather is like then, plant stages at that time, and what animals are doing. While the books on weather employ easy explanations of scientific phenomenon such as the water cycle, and include a diagram as well as photographs where appropriate, it’s unfortunate that Clouds stops short of naming the different types of formation instead of simply describing them. Still, these introductions, like their sister series below, are attractive and will be a hit with curious youngsters.