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The Weather's Bet

Author Ed Young
Illustrated by Ed Young
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
9.38"W x 11.31"H x 0.4"D   | 17 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Mar 31, 2020 | 32 Pages | 978-0-525-51382-7
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile AD540L | Fountas & Pinnell M
*"Awe-inspiring artwork as powerful as any force of nature."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From Caldecott Medalist Ed Young comes a picture book retelling of Aesop's fable The Wind and the Sun.

Once upon the sky, there were three powers--the Wind, the Rain, and the Sun--each claiming to be the mightier than the others. One day, the powers came upon a shepherd girl fast asleep upon a hill, so they made a bet to see who could make her take her cap off. Who will be the strongest of them all?

Rendered in exquisite mixed-media collage, Caldecott Medalist Ed Young's gorgeous and deeply poignant retelling of the well-known Aesop's fable The Wind and the Sun, proves that sometimes gentle persuasion and kindness are the best virtues of all.

Praise for The Weather's Bet:

"Lyrical and profound." --School Library Journal

"A good classroom readaloud."--Publishers Weekly
*"Young's atmospheric, textured artwork conjures the natural forces vying to mess with a mortal's cap in this loose retelling of an old Aesop's fable....Awe-inspiring artwork as powerful as any force of nature."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)


"Lyrical and profound . . . Elementary school classrooms seeking another approach to Earth Day will appreciate the mysterious beauty within the pages of this book." --School Library Journal

"Large spreads and economical text make this a good classroom readaloud—a parable that leads to a discussion about the advantages of warmth over force." --Publishers Weekly


"In a prefatory note, Young explains that, in troubled times, “our endangered,vulnerable planet must be sustained by respect.” This beautiful book honors that imperative." --Booklist

"Unsurprisingly, it’s the art that really makes an impact here; torn handmade paper and magazine images (with occasional linework) combine in stunning collages that vividly dramatize the impact of the elements . . . . It’s a strongly artistic interpretation that emphasizes the mythic monumentality of the tale, and it may inspire young viewers to take up the scissors for their own projects.  --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


"Full-bleed double-page spreads invitereaders to linger on the panoramic scenes and dive deeply into the details of the illustrations. The language is lyrical, full ofrhythm and rhyme, and the text is beautifully integrated into the illustrations." --The Horn Book
Caldecott medalist Ed Young was born in Tientsin, China, and brought up in Shanghai. He cites the philosophy of Chinese painting as an inspiration for much of his work. "A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words," he explains; "they are complementary. There are things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there are images that words can never describe."

Mr. Young has been illustrating children's books for more than twenty years and has won many awards. He received the 1990 Caldecott Medal for his book Lon Po Po, and his much-lauded collaboration with anthologist Nancy Larrick, Cats Are Cats, was named one of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of 1988 by The New York Times.

Mr. Young studied at the University of Illinois, the Art Center of Los Angeles, and Pratt Institute in New York City. He and his family live in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

copyright 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

View titles by Ed Young

About

*"Awe-inspiring artwork as powerful as any force of nature."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From Caldecott Medalist Ed Young comes a picture book retelling of Aesop's fable The Wind and the Sun.

Once upon the sky, there were three powers--the Wind, the Rain, and the Sun--each claiming to be the mightier than the others. One day, the powers came upon a shepherd girl fast asleep upon a hill, so they made a bet to see who could make her take her cap off. Who will be the strongest of them all?

Rendered in exquisite mixed-media collage, Caldecott Medalist Ed Young's gorgeous and deeply poignant retelling of the well-known Aesop's fable The Wind and the Sun, proves that sometimes gentle persuasion and kindness are the best virtues of all.

Praise for The Weather's Bet:

"Lyrical and profound." --School Library Journal

"A good classroom readaloud."--Publishers Weekly

Praise

*"Young's atmospheric, textured artwork conjures the natural forces vying to mess with a mortal's cap in this loose retelling of an old Aesop's fable....Awe-inspiring artwork as powerful as any force of nature."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)


"Lyrical and profound . . . Elementary school classrooms seeking another approach to Earth Day will appreciate the mysterious beauty within the pages of this book." --School Library Journal

"Large spreads and economical text make this a good classroom readaloud—a parable that leads to a discussion about the advantages of warmth over force." --Publishers Weekly


"In a prefatory note, Young explains that, in troubled times, “our endangered,vulnerable planet must be sustained by respect.” This beautiful book honors that imperative." --Booklist

"Unsurprisingly, it’s the art that really makes an impact here; torn handmade paper and magazine images (with occasional linework) combine in stunning collages that vividly dramatize the impact of the elements . . . . It’s a strongly artistic interpretation that emphasizes the mythic monumentality of the tale, and it may inspire young viewers to take up the scissors for their own projects.  --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


"Full-bleed double-page spreads invitereaders to linger on the panoramic scenes and dive deeply into the details of the illustrations. The language is lyrical, full ofrhythm and rhyme, and the text is beautifully integrated into the illustrations." --The Horn Book

Author

Caldecott medalist Ed Young was born in Tientsin, China, and brought up in Shanghai. He cites the philosophy of Chinese painting as an inspiration for much of his work. "A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words," he explains; "they are complementary. There are things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there are images that words can never describe."

Mr. Young has been illustrating children's books for more than twenty years and has won many awards. He received the 1990 Caldecott Medal for his book Lon Po Po, and his much-lauded collaboration with anthologist Nancy Larrick, Cats Are Cats, was named one of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of 1988 by The New York Times.

Mr. Young studied at the University of Illinois, the Art Center of Los Angeles, and Pratt Institute in New York City. He and his family live in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

copyright 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

View titles by Ed Young