If you’re looking for some great weather books, you’ll love this list of 15 books about clouds!
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As I put together my weather unit for preschool and kindergarten, my Four and I read a lot of books about the weather. I’ll be upfront with you and tell you that this was not my Four’s favorite topic. Even thought he loves to listen to books, I heard “Is this another book about the weather?” more than a few times.
As always, I try to only choose books that are both mom and kid approved. But some are more approved than others. 😉 Read our reviews and reserve some at your library. Whether or not you’re doing a weather theme, these are some great books!
(If you’d like, get a printable list here.)
The Cloud Spinner, by Michael Catchpool
This is a lovely book about a boy who spins his clothes from the clouds. He’s careful to spin just the right amount, because “enough is enough and not one stitch more.” But when a greedy king demands a full wardrobe, the boy is forced to use all the clouds… leaving the land without rain. I suppose the book has an environmental message, but we just enjoyed the story and illustrations. This was easily my Four’s favorite book from the list. He requested it many times!
It Looked Like Spilt Milk, by Charles G. Shaw
This classic, simple book is a wonderful choice for toddlers and young preschoolers. It’s fun to identify the shapes in the clouds.
Little Cloud, by Eric Carle
Here’s another sweet book for toddlers and young preschoolers about a little cloud that changes shape in the sky.
Clouds, by Marion Dane Bauer
Even though my Four quickly lost patience for books about the weather, he enjoyed the wonderful series of Ready-to-Ready weather books by Marion Dane Bauer. I love how they explain science concepts for young children. He stayed engaged through this entire book.
Clouds, by Erin Edison
The Pebble Plus series is fantastic for teaching nonfiction to preschoolers. That said, my preschooler is just not into clouds, and he didn’t appreciate this one. But I think it does an excellent job describing the different types of clouds without getting too wordy. So I ask you to check this out based on my recommendation – not my preschooler’s. 😉
Clouds, by Anne Rockwell
When he saw that this was another book about clouds, my Four refused to listen. (It’s become clear that he is not a future meteorologist.) But I love Anne Rockwell’s nonfiction, so please do check it out. I really like how the book illustrates many different types of clouds – not just your basic cumulus, cirrus, and stratus.
Fluffy, Flat, and Wet, by Dana Meachen Rau
I’m putting this book on our list because it has good information and I appreciate the fun facts on each page. I’ll admit that neither of us got into it, but you might feel differently.
The Cloud Book, by Tomie DePaola
Even though my Four insists that “clouds are boring,” I almost got him to listen to this whole book without much complaint. Even though this is a mostly nonfiction book, it’s full of DePaola’s charm and humor. The book is very informative but also adds humor in the illustrations and little stories. A must for any weather unit!
Hide and Seek Fog, by Alvin Tresselt
This is a vintage (1965) book about a fog that stays for in a small seaside village for three days. We found it interesting as we learned about how a fog could get in the way of everyday life. My Four stayed engaged for most of it, but lost interest toward the end, as it does get long. The writing is beautiful, and the book is a great vocabulary builder. But it’s probably not one you’re going to read more than a couple of times.
Clouds, by Gail Saunders-Smith
The text in this book isn’t very engaging (“just the facts, ma’am”), but I like that it has a single full page photo on the left and just a few sentences on the right of each double page spread. It might be a better choice for an early reader than an early listener, but it has good, age-appropriate information.
Clouds, by Grace Hansen
This was my first introduction to the nonfiction series, Abdo Kids. I’m now a fan! The book has only a handful of sentences on the left side of each spread, with a giant photo on the right. Recommended!
Cloud Boy, by Rhode Montijo
This is a short, charming story about a little cloud boy who is lonely. He creates things out of clouds for the children below. As they enjoy his creations he realizes he will never be lonely again.
Clouds, by Marie Ferguson Delano
This is a simple book with a lot of nice photographs. I couldn’t fool my Four, though. (“I don’t want to read another book about clouds!”) The layout felt a little too busy and colorful, but it’s a nice little book.
Clouds, by Anne Herrigas
Despite his aversion to cloud books, my Four tolerated this one. It has good informational text without going overboard. I love the photographs! A great choice.
Cloudette, by Tom Lichtenheld
I saved my favorite book for last. This is an irresistible story about a little cloud who wants to do big and important things like the other clouds. But the fire department, car wash, and garden center don’t need her help. Finally, Cloudette discovers that a little cloud can make a big difference. This makes it sound like a picture book with a moral (which can be terribly patronizing), but it doesn’t feel like that at all. I enjoyed reading this book as much as my Four enjoyed listening. The charming illustrations bring the book alive.
Grab our weather unit for loads of weather-related learning!
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