Hear the Wind Blow

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 22/03/2021

In elegant rhyme, Boyle (Blink!) introduces the Beaufort wind force scale, with "each stanza , in order, one of the thirteen categories." As a dark-haired, light-skinned child and guardian walk their dog, the wind progresses from calm air and breezes to gale, storm, and finally hurricane force. Internal and end rhymes pack a sensory punch, inviting readers to observe the effects of different wind types. Alternating neighborhood and beach scene shows wind speed still climbing ("Watch the smoke of campfires rise—/ tendrils drift toward clouded skies./ Flames that lick, sparks that flicker;/ now the breeze grows bolder, quicker"). As the wind reaches hurricane force, the visuals skew slightly improbable, maintaining a feeling of safety as the family cozily storm-watches through a massive, uncovered window: "When the hurricane comes roiling,/ popcorn's popped, the kettle's boiling." In her picture book debut, Paik employs stylized, softly textured illustrations that center the child, including at the post-hurricane neighborhood cleanup. An age-appropriate meteorological foray. Back matter includes an author's note explaining why wind occurs, the history of the Beaufort scale, a full-page graphic of the scale with descriptions of observable effects—on land and sea—of various wind speeds, a glossary, and a reading list. Ages 4–8.