Review - Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather
by Debi Gliori
Date: 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

As a mama fox tucks her baby into bed, she soothes his nighttime fears of the storm outside his window with the promise of watching over him while he sleeps, just like all other baby animals around the world.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I did not like this. I get where the author was coming from, but I didn't find the book reassuring. In fact, I wanted to shout at the mama fox, "Don't make promises you can't keep!" In an era of climate change, I don't know if it's a great idea to put such fantasies in kids' heads. If our house floods from torrential rain? No problem; I'll just build a boat and we'll sail away to somewhere sunny. If we get snowed in by a monster storm? No problem; I'll just build us a four-poster bed out of snow. These sorts of ideas are all fine and good until some sort of real disaster happens, and then this book is going to seem like a slap in the face.

Also, I really didn't like the illustrations. Some were cute, but others I found kind of scary. I think that giant owl might actually give me nightmares.

If you live somewhere where you're positive you're never going to have to explain to your kids why Mother Nature seems to be out to get them, go ahead and read this book. But for the majority, I'd say skip it. There must be better books about bedtime rituals and reassurance out there.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2.29 out of 5