Tides
Written by Carolyn Ford
Illustrated by Marnie Webster
Tides, by Carolyn Ford, is a simple, straightforward book about tides—what they are, what causes them, and what happens when all
that water rises and falls each day around the world. With seven pages of main text, the actual information provided is spare. However, Tides would be a good way to introduce readers in the fourth grade or younger to some of the basic concepts having to do with this powerful, important natural phenomenon. Using it as a read-aloud book would allow for discussion of questions about some of the concepts presented.
Marnie Webster’s illustrations beautifully capture the dramatic differences between high and low tides. Webster places children (and confused birds!) in relation to the rising and falling water, making it easier for young readers to understand how dramatic tidal changes can be, even if they might not get to see the excitement in person.
Back matter includes information about moon cycles and a poem.
Illustrator’s website:
http://www.freelanceartistsnetwork.com/artists/marniewebster/bio.html
Information and activities about tides:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_tides/
- Title: Tides
- Author: Carolyn Ford
- Illustrator: Marnie Webster
- Publisher: Richard C. Owen Publishers, Inc.
- Reviewer: Lisa Kahn Schnell
- Paperback: 12 pages
- ISBN: 978-1-57274-839-2
- Genre: Nonfiction, nature, science
- Lexile: 850