National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Weather

Provides an overview of various weather conditions, how they develop, and how they are studied

Grade 4-8-Colorful, attractive, and comfortable to hold, these field guides will be welcomed by those who delight in crisp, color photos and snippets of information presented in tidy chapters. Mammals is arranged so "look-alikes" appear together, such as the common raccoon teamed with the similar ringtail and white-nosed coati. Thumbnail-sized range maps are included, as are drawings of the animals' tracks. Weather includes facts on a wide variety of phenomena, from the expected spectrum of clouds and fronts to the more unusual dust devils and green flash. In both, the texts are occasionally printed over photo images, making them difficult to decipher. Each book has a glossary, a list of further readings (quite excellent in Weather), pertinent videos and discs, related Web sites, and organizations to contact for additional data. Both are indexed, though the index in Weather is somewhat brief. Well organized, eye-catching, and informative, these volumes are sure to capture the popularity long enjoyed by the "Golden Guide" series (Golden).
Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.