Review of Thunder and Lightning, They're Not So Frightening
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- Jagiine
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Review of Thunder and Lightning, They're Not So Frightening
I can remember sitting on my grandmother’s back porch during thunderstorms as a preteen and young adult. I loved the smell of the country air, the sound of the wind in the chimes, and the poetically choreographed dance of the swaying trees. Even as a young child, the sounds of pounding rain meant to me that I’d soon smell petrichor, which mixed perfectly with the fragrance of pine. However, not all children are comforted by storms. In fact, my own sister was similar to little William, who readers of Thunder and Lightning: They're not so Frightening know was very afraid of a deluge that came through his town.
At the beginning of the book, William was excited to watch the neighborhood transition into the calmness of night as he settled into bed, but that serenity was interrupted by dark clouds, ominous flashes, and booming thunder. Hearing his son cry out in terror, William’s loving dad went to help his son weather the storm.
Daddy’s approach to comforting William was twofold: being a patient, peaceful presence when calmness seemed to have disappeared and providing information. Just being there with William was important for helping the child feel secure and reminding him that he was safe. Though the walls and roof were the main sources of protection for everyone in the house, William needed mental and emotional security in order to recognize and appreciate his family's physical safety. Once he felt more comfortable, William asked Daddy a question in order to feel better. If the response had been spouted at a trembling child who was still hiding from the thunder, it likely would have had no positive effect, so it’s good that William’s father let the boy lead the conversation.
At the same time, I felt that the explanation got a bit dense; it wasn’t bad, but it could have been further simplified and spread across more pages. Whereas William's actions were detailed at a rate of about one sentence per page, Daddy defined thunder and lightning in a five-sentence paragraph on a single page. Outside of that instance, I found the writing to be very descriptive without getting too advanced or boring for the target age group. Also, the way the storm rolled in and William reacted followed a realistic progression. Beyond the text, I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations. I believe the art qualified as photorealism; the images of William appeared the most real and the environment reminded me of painted landscapes. Overall, it was quite suitable for a bedtime story.
Considering the great parenting and visually appealing art evident in the storybook, I was quite impressed by JD Schmith's premier title. However, I could not fully shake the bad taste the dense science lesson left in my mouth. On top of that, I found three editorial slip-ups, all of which pertained to punctuation marks. Between these two issues, I found it necessary to remove one star and give Thunder and Lightning three out of four stars.
I am happy to recommend Thunder and Lightning to families with children who are scared by storms or other loud noises. Children interested in science or alternative styles of art may also find this publication intriguing. However, all of the errors can be fixed with a pen because they are all additions of or alterations to a punctuation mark, so if you get a hard copy, I recommend fixing the issues with a felt-tip pen before enjoying the story with a child (or letting them explore it alone).
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Thunder and Lightning, They're Not So Frightening
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- Raluca_Mihaila
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A little rain would be nice right now! I hope you get some soon. Thanks for coming byRaluca_Mihaila wrote: ↑26 Jul 2021, 14:24 I also loved the storm and its energy, I enjoyed very much for your review, it made me wish for a little rain . Thank you!
- Jagiine
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That's true; this book is targeted at children, but there are adults who could similarly benefit from it. Thanks for adding that insight
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Thanks for this thorough and amazing review
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- Jagiine
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You're so right, and there's a lot less empowerment to address those fears as an adult in this society, so we should definitely work on getting it right the first time. Thanks for stopping by!markodim721 wrote: ↑28 Jul 2021, 12:22 I think it's great that there is a book that deals with this problem because I believe that the fear of thunder and lightning can be transferred to adulthood if not overcome in childhood. Thank you for the awesome review.
- Jagiine
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I hope this helps the people you're thinking of. I'm sure the author would be proud that the book is helping more people than just William. Thank you for your encouraging words!Mindful Wordsmith wrote: ↑28 Jul 2021, 15:58 I know some people (both young and adult) who have a fear of thunder and storm (and lightning too). I think this book will be a good read for them.
Thanks for this thorough and amazing review
- Jagiine
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Yes, I think the father set a good example for parents. While a lot of kids may find the scientific explanation dry, who knows: some future scientists may be born out of reading this. Thanks for joining the discussion!
- Jagiine
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That's a good point that I definitely overlooked when writing the review. I hope many adults find comfort in this story as well! Thank you for chiming in.Chigo Nwagboso wrote: ↑29 Jul 2021, 10:19 Thanks such detailed review. Adult also could be frightened by thunder as well. I can also relate to the boy, because someone's presence has a way of calming the nerve when one is afraid.
- Josephe-Anne
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I love how you described the moments when you enjoyed watching thunderstorms at your grandmother's house.
This story would be nice for children who are afraid of thunder and lightning - I believe it is a common fear to have. It should calm them down and answer some of their curious questions. You made a good suggestion about fixing the punctuation errors with a pen.
Thank you for your excellent review. I look forward to seeing more from you.
― Horace Mann
- Jagiine
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Thank you so much, you're very sweet! I did dabble in poetry and songwriting when I was growing up, but now I don't really write much aside from these reviews, so you've brightened my day.Josephe-Anne wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 05:30 Wow! You are such a gifted writer! You would be a fantastic poet!
I love how you described the moments when you enjoyed watching thunderstorms at your grandmother's house.
This story would be nice for children who are afraid of thunder and lightning - I believe it is a common fear to have. It should calm them down and answer some of their curious questions. You made a good suggestion about fixing the punctuation errors with a pen.
Thank you for your excellent review. I look forward to seeing more from you.