Great Gusts by Melanie Crowder and Megan Benedict is a beautiful combination of science and poetry, blending fact with lyrical descriptions. Everything about this book, from the poetry to the illustrations to the back glossary are well-crafted and engaging. I read through the work multiple times, completely absorbed by the different winds discussed.

About Great Gusts:

This lovely picture book features fourteen winds from around the world. Each spread has a poem capturing the main characteristics of the wind in question. The poets then follow up with a short description, explaining in more detail how the winds form or the effects they cause. While teaching kids (and adult readers) about these distinct air patterns, the authors also give us a taste of different landscapes.

As we learn about the oroshi of Japan, we discover trees shaped by the gusts over the mountains. The ghibli of the Sahara takes us to seas of sand which cause a red rain. Each wind, with it's own home and role to play, carries us to a new stage. Khoa Le illustrates each one with color and movement that pulls the reader through the pages. The diverse landscapes create a sense of wonder, full of unique textures, animals, and scenery. All the while, the art style stays cohesive, keeping the same overall tone and flavor throughout the work.

The back matter of the book offers great teaching tools. Short explanations expand on what causes wind, how the winds are named, and even what forms of poetry are used in the work. These tidbits would be a great starting place for digging a little deeper into a study on poetry or weather. The end of the book also features a map with markers of where to find each wind, as well as a glossary of terms used throughout.

Final Thoughts:

Great Gusts would be a wonderful addition to a classroom library or a homeschool curriculum. Informative and engaging, the book explores winds in such a way as to excite curiosity in a reader. The science gives a launching point for learning about weather. The different regions featured could lead to discussions on geography. While the book mostly contains free form poetry, a few other forms make an appearance as well. As such, it would be a good example for teaching older students about poetry. Overall, it is a great teaching tool, and a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Karley Conklin

Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, writer by night, and bookworm 24/7. She reviews books for Write2Ignite, as well as on her blog litwyrm.com