What Makes a Blizzard is a great informational book that combines history, and weather. The book defines what is a blizzard, how does it begin, and what conditions are needed for a blizzard. The book starts in the earlier part of history in the 19th century in a neighborhood populated by mostly white families, but fast forwards later in the book showing illustrations that are more representative of todays families that are inclusive and more excepting of different nationalities within a household. ( )

In this book in the Let’s Read and Find Out: Science, the focus is on what makes a blizzard? The book starts off talking about the Midwestern United States during the winter of 1887-88. Children headed to school and the temperature was warm on January 12, 1888. The sun was shining and there was mild breeze from the south. Then without any warning at all a huge bank of blue black clouds rolled in out of nowhere. In the next minute they were hit with a cold blast of wind and needlelike snow started falling from the sky and the wind was whipping around in every direction. People caught out in the snow were in serious danger. Historians have named this “blizzard” the schoolchildren’s blizzard. It made scientist want to study what makes a blizzard different from a normal snowstorm. In this book readers will find out as they discuss the water cycle and fronts as well as thermometers, barometers, anemometers and wind vanes. There is also a find out more section in the back that encourages children to keep a winter weather journal to document the weather. I would recommend this for any collection owning others in the series or for reports or anyone fascinated with different types of weather. ( )

Part science, part history, What Makes a Blizzard? uses the story of the Schoolchildren's Blizzard of 1888 to answer the questions: What distinguishes a blizzard from a regular snowstorm? How much snow falls during a blizzard? How fast do the winds blow? How cold does it get? The main narrative is supplemented by a number of sidebars, addressing everything from the structure of snowflakes to the water cycle, that add to the reader's understanding of the topic under discussion. A brief afterword provides more information, as well as a glossary of terms.

Part of publisher HarperCollins' Let's Read and Find Out Science series, What Makes a Blizzard addresses a number of important topics, from the definition of a blizzard to the historical significance of the aforementioned Schoolchildren's Blizzard. It's quite topical right now, as New York City, where I live and work, just experienced a blizzard warning, and the first severe winter storm of 2018. How appropriate that we have this new title at work, and can put it on our "Winter Wonders" display. Blizzards can be dangerous, after all, but they do produce wonders! Recommended to young science and history buffs, as well as any child from four to seven who is curious about these extreme winter weather events. ( )