Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori

Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori
Buy Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
Summary: A delightful bedtime book about the animals of the world being kept safe by their parents. It's reassuring, sweet and just plain lovely. Recommended.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: October 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-0747599715
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It's bedtime in millions of bedrooms across the world. Stories are being read, children are being tucked in, glasses of water are being fetched. Parents (of all animal species) explain what will happen if stormy weather hits, and how they'll keep their children safe, warm and cosy.

Stormy Weather is a reassuring bedtime book for the youngest children. Although it doesn't deal with the standard bedtime worries, it fosters a pleasant feeling of security. It's ideal for reading last thing at night, and I can well imagine it being many children's favoured just one more story. There's a lilting rhythm to it that's reminiscent of lullabies, with the rhymes tripping neatly off the tongue. The vocabulary is simple enough even for babies, but charming enough for older children too.

Debi Gliori's illustrations are lovely: neither too cutesy, nor off-puttingly realistic. The foreboding landscapes strike just the right tone, and the comforting paws, flippers and wings of the parent animals warm the cockles of your heart. There's plenty to spot on every page, and it bears repeated readings. Look out for the toys belonging to the fox who bookends the story. Soak up the rest of the illustrations and smile.

Children will love seeing and imagining the wide range of animals at sea, in burrows, atop trees and on ice. It strikes a nice balance between the eye-opening realisation that others are similar to you, and the reassurance of having your place in the world. If being ultra-picky, some children might prefer stronger characterisation, but it does work well as it is, and children (and parents) can use their imagination to go beyond the book if they really want. Recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

There's lots of further reading to choose in our Top Ten Picture Books For Overcoming Bedtime Woes, with Just Like Tonight by Amber Stewart and Layn Marlow being closest in style to Stormy Weather. Lucy Goosey by Margaret Wild and Ann James is a lovely tale of a parent reassuring their child. You might also enjoy My Pictures after the Storm by Eric Veille.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori at Amazon.com.

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