Note: I accessed digital review copies of this book through Edelweiss. ( )

Often times, informational/non-fiction books can seem boring for children. This book, however, is very appealing. The cover shows a cartoon illustration of a girl and her dog--the book does not look "boring." Inside, the book goes into good detail through an easy explanation of what a drought it. The book even goes on to list conservation methods to prevent drought and it tells of things one can do if in a drought. The book also holds a glossary for students to see if they come across and unfamiliar word. I really enjoyed reading this book. ( )

Let's Read and Find Out science books have been around for quite a long time. However, Harper has recently updated and added a new selection of titles. I've been looking for more titles on weather and didn't want the more bare-bones of actual easy readers, but something intermediate and these titles seemed like a good fit.

Melissa Stewart has done several of the recent titles, including this one on Drought. Simple blocks of text explain the progression of drought, from a lack of rain to more severe consequences. Explanations of the water cycle, how climate change can affect droughts, and the long-term consequences are also included. The text and illustrations are interspersed with historical and scientific facts and science experiments. Back matter includes further experiments, ways to save water, a list of more books in the series, glossary, and a university website with further information.

Ceolin's gentle art, with details of animals and plants, adds to the narrative aspect of the book. The people pictured, including scientists, show a diversity of race and gender.

Verdict: This is a good example of how a simple book can be just the perfect fit for a hole in the collection. This and other titles in the series have been circulating regularly to kids interested in weather, parents helping their kids advance in reading comprehension, teachers doing weather units, and I've also pulled several of them for a nonfiction authors unit on Melissa Stewart and other authors. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780062386663; Published 2017 by Harper; Purchased for the library

This book gives an easy to read overview of the water cycle and droughts for children. In addition to information, the book provides experiments kids can do, such as making a cloud in a jar, and ways they can help conserve water. One thing I particularly liked was that the book made it clear that droughts are something that naturally happen and that the goal is not to stop them, but to lessen the damage when they do happen. ( )

I'm a fan of Melissa Stewart's science books and this one is no exception, especially when paired with Andre Ceolin's beautiful art. It explains droughts in simple language and offers ways that people—even kids—can help conserve water. I talk about the world's water supply in my own Water Cycle book, but I was blown away by the way she demonstrated how much freshwater is actually on earth and why we need to protect our drinking water. (I think we need some of our world leaders to read that page!) Excellent elementary school choice for both home and school. ( )