Lightning

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. 1997. LIGHTNING. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-688-14639-2.

PLOT SUMMARY

The dramatic weather phenomenon, lightning, is explored in this book. Facts about lightning and safety tips are presented accompanied by photographs of various types of lightning.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This photo essay book about lightning by Seymour Simon is packed with brilliant, exciting photos of lightning bolts in a variety of settings. Simon's explanations include references to objects that children can readily identify and that give them perspective on the size and power of lightning. For example, he says, "A single lightning bolt travels through twisted paths in the air about as wide as one of your fingers and from six to ten miles long." "...it pulses with hundreds of millions of volts and billions of watts, as much power as there is in all the electrical generating plants in the United States...." The author includes a little history (Ben Franklin and his kite experiment) and safety precautions to observe if you are outdoors during a lightning storm ("...crouch down with you hands off the ground and become 'a basketball with legs.'"). Although Lightning does not include a bibliography, Simon's reputation as a prolific author of over 250 nonfiction books for children, and his 23 years of experience as a science teacher vouch for the accuracy of the facts presented. The vivid photographs and engaging writing style of Lightning make this a science book that will enthrall young readers.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

School Library Journal: "Short, simple sentences make this topic accessible to younger readers but do not talk down to older report writers."

Booklist: "The subject is exciting, the information is amazing, and the full-color photographs are riveting, each spectacular picture more exciting than the last."

CONNECTIONS

>Watch a video or DVD of a lightning storm. Describe what you see using the vocabulary from Seymour Simon's book, Lightning.

>Discuss safety strategies one might use if caught outdoors during a lightning storm.