Come on, Big Snow!
Well, so we are in the middle of a freakish heat wave around these parts, and as a lover of all things summery, I cannot say I am totally opposed. But at the same time it does seem odd to be wearing shorts to the Boy Scout Christmas tree lot. So, yes. I wish it would snow.
But it doesn't look like I will get my wish any time before Christmas this year, so instead, as my offering for the seventh day of our Advent calendar, I will offer you this fabulous book that is a short and gorgeous illustrated biography of Wilson Bentley, who pioneered the photographic technique needed to capture images of individual snowflakes. This book was a big hit with my own urchins back in the olden days. And even though it is written in a voice that is suited to young readers and listeners, the twenty-four-year-old tall boy has made reference to it even in more recent years.
What I most like about this book is the contrast between the beautifully rustic illustrations of the story itself (evoking the rural Vermont farm that was Bentley's home) and the dramatic photographs that are included at the back of the book. These photos are images taken by Bentley himself. They are so fabulous, especially when you realize that he was working in the late 19th century; he captured the very first photographic image of a snowflake in 1885.
Your young science nerds and snow lovers will be so happy to read this book!