The Weather Girls

by Aki, Aki (Illustrator)

Overview

Summer, Fall, Winter, or Spring—the Weather Girls are ready for whatever the seasons might bring!

It’s summer time. We rise and shine!/ All set to go. We form a line.// A big bright sun. Let’s have some fun./
We sing and dive and splash and run.

Follow these busy girls as they climb mountains, fly hot-air balloons, and soak in a rainbow-sky sunset. Charming rhyming verse and adorable art make this picture book irresistible—and perfect for sharing!

- GODWIN BOOKS -

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627796200
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	269,151
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Aki, whose real name is Delphine Mach, has been writing and illustrating since 2008. When she is not illustrating, Aki maintains a culinary blog (The 3 Sisters) that she shares with her sisters (who are equally passionate about cooking).

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2018
In a story with echoes of Madeline (“It’s summertime. We rise and shine!/ All set to go, we form a line”), 16 girls see what the seasons have to offer, weatherwise and otherwise. Initially dressed in identical yellow rain slickers, the roundheaded girls have an array of skin and hair colors, and an opening spread names each one. From there, author-illustrator Aki moves through the seasons as the girls explore the water and woods in summer, notice the changes of fall, hike and build snowmen in winter, and take a springtime hot-air balloon ride. Aki’s bouncy, rhyming text evokes the emotion and action of each season, and she tailors her palette to the shifting year. Though the girls don’t get individual personalities, it’s clear they are independent, intrepid explorers, and Aki includes some lighthearted, unrealistic moments: one girl reaches out to pet a bear in the forest, and the girls stack themselves up like acrobats while riding a bicycle built for four. A concluding section offers additional seasonal details. Ages 4–8. Agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"In a story with echoes of Madeline, 16 girls see what the seasons have to offer, weatherwise and otherwise. . . it’s clear they are independent, intrepid explorers" —Publishers Weekly on The Weather Girls

"A breezy seasonal storytime choice . . . the art carries most of the weight—and does so delightfully." —Kirkus Reviews on The Weather Girls

"a visually engaging introduction to the seasons" —Booklist on The Weather Girls

"simple and colorful cartoon drawings make each page lively and interesting . . . reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans’s Madeline" —School Library Journal on The Weather Girls

From the Publisher

03/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—Sixteen little girls, in two straight lines, dressed identical in yellow raincoats and blue pants yet each named and distinctive set off on a series of seasonal adventures. Through the seasons readers see them enjoying the outdoors, diving and splashing, exploring, running, and riding. Building snowmen, hiking mountains, picking apples, or skipping in a field. The simple and colorful cartoon drawings make each page lively and interesting. There are no grown-ups anywhere in the story, and it's unclear whether these girls are at a boarding school, an orphanage, or just at home, but there's an air of familiarity with the girls that's reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline. VERDICT An enjoyable and a recommended addition for one-on-one and small group sharing.—Shana Shea, Windsor Public Library, CT

School Library Journal

2018-02-03
Sixteen tiny tots march through the four seasons, finding much to do in the varied weather.The beginning immediately recalls Madeline—the yellow slickers, slim black sketching, and even two straight lines. However, there isn't a smallest among this group to steal the show; all 16 multiracial gals (though more have pale skin than not) share the spotlight equally. The first season they explore is summer. Following the lively rhymes ("A big, bright sun. / Let's have some fun! / We swim and dive and splash and run") the girls teeter on the edges of a diving board and snap to formation for a water-ballet routine. Fall has them marching through the city, leaping in leaf piles, and reaching up high for apples. Winter highlights Aki's willingness to play with perspective: the girls peer up into the falling snow, mouths open to catch the flakes, while readers look down on them from above. Spring is full of requisite flowers, and it also brings a final weather feat that never ceases to amaze. Two final pages include a small amount of background information on the seasons (accurate to temperate climates).A breezy seasonal storytime choice, though the art carries most of the weight—and does so delightfully. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews