Sturdy for Common Things

Favorite Children’s Books About Weather

“What will the weather be like today?” It’s one of the first questions we think of when we wake in the morning. Every day we experience weather. Some of us live in places where the weather is consistently the same throughout the year, and some of us live in places where there is a wide range of weather – especially during seasonal transition. Regardless of where you live, learning about weather elements is a fun way for children to take notice of and apply weather to their everyday world. Since we’ve been experiencing a lot of weather changes with the seasonal transition where I live, I put together a list of favorite children’s books that are both fiction and nonfiction about weather. What’s your favorite book about weather?

 

ALL ABOUT WEATHER
These books focus on a variety of weather and season:

What Will the Weather Be Like Today? by Paul Rogers, illustrations by Kazuko (public library)
On the Same Day in March by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Frane Lessac (public library)
Boom Boom by Savinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (public library)
Weather Words by Gail Gibbons (public library)
If Frogs Made Weather by Dane Marion Bauer (public library)
Maisy’s Wonderful Weather Book by Lucy Cousins (public library)
Inside, Outside by Lizi Boyd (public library) – Full book review HERE
Whatever the Weather by Karen Wallace (public library)

 

THE WATER CYCLE
A look at various forms of water and the phases of the water cycle:

Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Marianda Paul, illustrated by Jason Chin (public library)
This is the Rain by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Jane Wattenbern (public library)
Water Dance by Thomas Locker (public library)
All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Katherine Tiloston (public library)
Water Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija (public library)

 

RAIN
Rain showers, rainy days, after-rain puddles and all things rain, rain, rain:

Raindrop Roll by April Pulley Sayre (public library)
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin and John Archambault, illustrated by James Endicott (public library)
Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg, illustrated by Jose Aruego (public library)
Come On, Rain! by Karen Helle, illustrated by Jon J. Muth (public library)
Float by Daniel Miyares (public library)
Worm Weather by Jean Taft, illustrated by Matt Hunt (public library)
The Rain Came Down by David Shannon (public library)
Rain Play by Cynthia Cotten, illustraed by Javaka Steptoe (public library)
The Rain Train by Elena De Roo, illustrated by Brian Lovelock (public library)
Who Likes the Rain? By Wong Herbert Yee (public library)
Split! Splat! by Amy Gibson, illustrated by Steve Bjorkamn (public library)
When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Constance Bergum (public library)

 

STORMS
Thunder and lightning can be a bit frightening, but learning about storms can help calm nerves. These stories make storms fun!

The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham (public library)
Waiting Out the Storm by JoAnn Early Macken, illustrated by Susan Gaber (public library)
Blue on Blue by Dianne White, illustrated by Beth Krommes (public library)
Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle, illustrated by G. Braian Karas (public library)
Thunder Boomer by Shutta Crum, illustrated by Carol Thompson (public library)
Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll by Franklyn M. Branley, illustrated by True Kelley (public library)
The Storm by Akiko Miyakoshi (public library)
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco (public library)

 

WIND
Wind causes the trees sway and kites to play. Silly, heartwarming, and informational stories about the wind:

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins (public library)
Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch (public library)
Wind by Marion Dane Bauer (public library)
Windblown by Édouard Manceau (public library) Full review!
One Monday by Amy Hutington (public library)
Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets (public library)
Bluebird by Lindsey Yankey (public library) Full review + author interview!
One Windy Wednesday by Phyllis Root (public library)
Kite Flying by Grace Lin (public library)

 

CLOUDS
Laying in the grass and looking at the clouds is one of my favorite childhood past times. These stories invoke and explain the magic behind those white fluffballs in the sky:
It Looks Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw (public library)
The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola (public library)
Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld (public library)
Olga the Cloud by Nicoletta Costa (public library)
Sector 7 by David Wiesner (public library)
Clouds by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Frané Lessac (public library)
Clouds by Marion Dane Bauer (public library)
Explore My World Clouds by Marfe Ferguson Delano (public library)
Cloudy Day Sunny Day by Donald Crews (public library)

 

SUN
Our light, life-force, and reason for the seasons– The sun!

Sun Up, Sun Down by Gail Gibbons (public library)
One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews (public library) — Also is a good storm book!
Moonbear’s Sunrise by Frank Asch (public library)
A Sunny Day by Robin Nelson (public library)
One Light, One Sun by Raffi (public library)
The Sun is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch (public library)
Fun With the Sun by Melissa Stewart and Jeffrey Schnerer (public library)

 

RAINBOWS
Other than puddles, I’d say rainbows are the best part of a rainstorm. These books explain how a rainbow forms and spectrum of colors it displays:

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman (public library)
Elmer and the Rainbow by David McKee (public library)
Ned’s Rainbow by Melanie Walsh (public library)
All the Colors of the Rainbow by Allan Fowler (public library)
Rainbows by David Whitfield (public library)

 

FOG
Stories featuring the mysterious, lingering moisture that is fog:

Fog Hide and Seek by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin (public library)
The Foggy Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt (public library)
Fog Island by Tomi Ungerer (public library)
Hedgehog in the Fog by Yuri Norstein, illustrated by Francesca Yarbusova (public library)

 

SNOW
Snow and snowflakes and the water cycle during cold weather months:

The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino (public library)
The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story by Neil Waldman (public library)
Millions of Snowflakes by Mary McKenna Siddals, illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles (public library)
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqeline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian (public library)
The Snowy Day by Jack Ezra Keats (public library)
A Snowy Day by Robin Nelson (public library)
Snow by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stinger (public library)

 

WEATHER BOOKS FOR OLDER READERS
Many of the books in this list are intended for older readers BUT have excellent images and activities that can be adapted and enjoyed by all ages:

The Kids’ Book of Clouds and Sky by Frank Staub (public library)
Weather by Seymour Simon (public library)
Whatever the Weather: Science Experiments and Ar Activities That Explore the Wonders of Weather by Annie Riechmann, illustrated by Dawn Suzette Smith (public library)
DK Eyewitness Weather by Brian Cosgrove (public library)
The Secret Life of a Snowflake by Kenneth Libbrecht (public library)
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder by Walter Wick (public library)
National Geographic Kids Everything Weather by Kathy Furgang (public library)

 

WEATHER BOOKS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
Stories about weather for the littlest readers:

Hello, World! Weather! by Jill McDonald (public library)
Bear Gets Dressed by Harriet Ziefert, illustraed by Arnold Lobel (public library)
A Windy Day in Spring by Charles Ghigna, illustrated by Laura Watson (public library)
Raindrops Fall All Around by Charles Gnigna, illustrated by Laura Watson (public library)
Little Cloud by Eric Carle (public library)
Sunshine Brightens Springtime by Charles Gnigna, illustrated by Laura Watson (public library)
Rain, Rain, Go Away! by Caroline Jayne Church (public library)
The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani (public library)
Kipper’s Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen (public library)
Raindrops: A Shower of Colors by Chieu Anh Urban (public library)

 

 

Interested in seeing if these books are available at your local library? I made this abbreviated weather books list on bibliocommons. So, if your library suscribes to bibliocommons you’re list of books to pick up is already started!

What’s your favorite children’s book about weather? Do you have a favorite that isn’t on the list? I’d love to know in the comments below!