When the Wind Blows

by Stacy Clark M.A., Brad Sneed (Illustrator)

Overview

While the blowing wind makes "porch doors sway" and "sea waves spray," it is responsible for much, much more. These same breezes send electron power traveling down windmills and circuits to ignite electricity. Electrons travel through power lines, and electricity charges the national grid so that lights may be turned on, cold homes may be warmed, and warm homes may be cooled. The gusts can help make "Factories hum / Harbors light up / Smart cars run." In a poetic text and sweeping landscape paintings, this picture book explores the many facets of the wind.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823430697
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	02/01/2015
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	588,234
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Stacy Clark is a preschool teacher, writer, and environmental geologist who lives in Dallas, Texas. When the Wind Blows is her first book.

Brad Sneed has illustrated more than twenty books for children, including Cock-a-doodle-doo, Creak, Pop-pop, Moo by Jim Aylesworth and Washday by Eve Bunting. He lives in Kansas with his wife and daughter.

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2015
K-Gr 3—What happens when the wind blows? This picture book demonstrates the significance of wind power. The story begins with a scene depicting summertime on the beach, where children run and play, "balloons escape," and "balls roll" and then transitions to the ocean, where a sailboat wends its way among powerful wind turbines. A maintenance worker climbs the tall ladder of a turbine, while the simple text explains that "magnetic forces use electrons as energy sources." The writing may be a bit challenging for some readers, but they'll learn that windmills power electricity throughout the United States, lighting up and heating homes, allowing trains and smart cars to run, and fueling lighthouses for safety at sea. Attractive watercolors depict the effects of wind power through accessible images that will resonate with readers, such as an image of the United States lit up, as seen from outer space. VERDICT This clear and fun explanation begs for storytime reading and will spark discussion. An enlightening, fresh effort.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

School Library Journal

2015-02-03
A poetic composition celebrates the power of the wind as a renewable-energy resource.The wind can make kites fly, beach balls roll away, balloons escape and even the shapes of clouds change. But when it blows offshore and makes turbine blades spin, energy is created that "powers a station / Charging the grid / That fuels our nation." The essential process of how wind turbines create electricity is succinctly explained in short, uneven rhyming stanzas, each beginning with the introductory line, "When the wind blows." Acrylic illustrations are done predominantly in shades of blue to reflect water and the daytime-nighttime sky. Double-page spreads present dramatic views of these lofty structures while also providing an interesting visual explanation of the mechanics involved. With the verse "When the wind blows / Blades rotate / Turning gears / Accelerate," a cutaway view reveals the gears inside the top of a turbine. Similarly, in the verse "When the wind blows / Copper whirls 'round / Between two magnets / High aboveground," another internal view shows the parts mentioned. Blustery, natural beach scenes yield to spreads that focus on the turbines, naturally leading to images of the electric grid that powers modern life, from lighthouses to light-rail tracks to electric cars. Intriguing, easily informative and even inspiring. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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