The Sun, the Wind, and the Rain

The evolution of a mountain is explained in simple terms. In simultaneous story lines, Elizabeth makes a mountain of sand at the beach that is eroded by wind and rain, while on opposing pages, a nearby mountain is formed during a variety of geologic stages. It, too, will erode. Introduced are basic concepts about the elements of rock formation, in such a way that readers will be provoked into drawing some conclusions of their own. Rand's colorsthe icy blue of a snow-capped mountain, a deep mauve the color of rich, wet clay, the smoky gray of a thunderstorm's skyall contribute to the mixing of story and fact, from the centuries over which a mountain is eroded, to the passing of a sandy mound in one brief afternoon. Ages 6-9. (September)