Stories in the Clouds: Weather Science and Mythology from Around the World
Stories in the Clouds: Weather Science and Mythology from Around the World
Since the earliest civilizations, people from all over the world have noticed that dark clouds bring severe storms, rainbows appear after rain, and seasons change in a regular pattern. They noticed these connections, but did not understand the scientific causes behind them. As a result, they made up stories to explain why wind, rain, thunder, lightning, clouds, fog, and other types of weather occur. They also tried to predict the weather and made up sayings to describe the types of weather they witnessed.
Joan Marie Galat explains the weather science and mythology in Stories in the Clouds: Weather Science and Mythology from Around the World. This is the sixth volume of the “Dot to Dot in the Sky” series which includes books on astronomy-related topics such as: the stars, the planets, the moon, the aurora and the zodiac.
Galat begins her book with a description of how weather impacts our daily life. She explains meteorology, the science of the study of weather. Scientists (meteorologists) studying weather patterns use satellites and computers to predict the weather. They also collaborate with other scientists across the globe to make important weather predictions in order to save lives and prevent property damage in weather emergencies.
“Sayings and proverbs about the weather have developed over many centuries in all parts of the world. “ (p. 5). In Stories in the Clouds, Galat includes seven weather-related legends from across the globe. A Tlingit legend describes how the sun was brought to the world by Raven. Hawaiian people tell a story about the Cave of the Winds while the Chinese have a legend about the thunder god. Other weather-related stories are told by the peoples of Japan and Russia, as well as the Inuit and the Mi’kmaq/Wabanaki.
Stories in the Clouds: Weather Science and Mythology from Around the World is a good resource for students doing research on weather-related issues. At times, this book is very dense with scientific information about weather-related phenomena, such as frost, clouds, fog and the seasons. However, Galat is skilled at simplifying very complex scientific concepts for younger readers. The illustrations by Georgia Graham are well-executed and complement the text. Galat combines mythology and science in this thought-provoking text, “When you step outside and examine the sky, think of those scientific facts alongside the stories ancient cultures once told, and embrace every type of weather.” (p. 61)
Myra Junyk, a resident of Toronto, Ontario, is a literacy advocate and author.