The gorgeous paintings that illustrate Ohio Thunder are the work of Kate Miesler. I was not surprised to discover that she attended the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the finest art schools in the world. This is what draws me to children's picture books--impeccable artwork. Little ones can linger on the pictures of an Ohio farm, and when they learn that these two-page spreads are paintings, leave the book and pick up paint brushes. Denise Dowling Mortensen's short rhymes spice the visual drama: "Wild wind blowing. Nature's brew. Locomotive passing through. Thundering 'cross Ohio plains, bringing waves of quenching rains." The magic of rhyme blends with the charm of painted images to create this marvelous book.
Mrs. Coles' Classroom has an Extreme Weather Informational Book in which children can combine drawing and writing about frightening weather. Classroom Ponderings has Poetry--5 Senses Poems for all Seasons to spotlight this content while constructing their own poems.
