Snowflake Bentley

by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Book Overview

In this Caldecott Medal-winning picture book, the true story of Wilson Bentley and his singular fascination with snowflakes is rendered in rich prose and gorgeous artwork, perfect for the holidays,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395861624
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.4" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

I love Snowflake ❄️ Bentley.This isn't an easy children's winter book to get.I'm so glad I could rep

I will always love any book about Snowflake ❄️ Bentley!

Beauty, Science, and an Inspiring Example!

Snowflake Bentley is one of the best biographies I have seen for children because it combines so many elements of a worthwhile children's book so successfully. First, the book deserves its Caldecott Medal for outstanding illustrations from the gorgeous hand-colored woodcuts that provide a wonderful old-fashioned feel. Second, the book also describes the beauty of snowflakes and shows both abstract designs of them as well as some of Mr. Bentley's own photographs. Third, many of the fundamental science facts about snowflakes are described (I learned more about why snowflakes are unique than I had ever known before). Fourth, Mr. Bentley's life is inspirational in several ways. He followed and lived his passion. His parents also supported him in the passion, in a wonderfully loving way. He succeeded in bringing beauty to the world that has changed the way everyone sees it. In doing so, he has lightened the burdens of winter a little for us all. Mr. Bentley was "a boy who loved snow more than anything else in the world." Where others saw cold and discomfort in his home of Jericho, Vermont, he saw beauty. That was good becaues the snowfall averages around 120 inches a year there. "He said snow was as beautiful as butterflies, or apple blossoms." In the good weather, he could net butterflies or carry apple blossoms to show to others, but snowflakes were more difficult to share. His mother (who was his teacher until he was 14) gave him an old microscope, and he began to look at snowflakes in the cold. He noticed that no two were alike, and began to draw them. At 17, he learned that you could photograph what you could see in a microscope. His parents made an enormous investment and got him one. The cost was equal to the value of his father's whole herd of ten cows. The camera was as large as a calf. In those days (1882), you had to use large glass plates to make images. From then one, he was committed to his photography. Some winters, he could only make a few photographs successfully. The best time was during a snow storm in 1928, when he made over 100 in two days overlapping Valentine's day. He learned to make his images better and better, and shared them with others. During the good weather, he also photographed spiders' webs, the dew on natural objects, and other small scenes of nature. He earned a little money from all this, but his costs exceeded his revenues by almost 4 to 1 over a lifetime. All of his money went for photography. When he was 66, some scientists gave him the money to publish a book of his photographs. Shortly thereafter, he died of pneumonia contracted after photographing during a blizzard. The town honored him with a plaque.The book contains the story of Mr. Bentley's life, has sidebars that provide more detail on the science and certain aspects of his life, shows photographs, and is illustrated with the hand-colored woodcuts I mentioned earlier. The result is something that can appeal to a child in di

Exploring Originality

This story is about a dairy farmer in Vermont named Wilson Bentley. Bentley loved snow, and wanted to capture the beauty of snowflakes to share with the world. It took years of failures before Bentley discovedered how to photograph snowflakes. People thought he was crazy for making such a big deal over something as simple as snow in Vermont. By age sixty-six with the help of other scientists, Bentley had his pictures made into a book called Snow Crystals. Wilson Bentley is still known as an expert on snowflakes, and made history with his love for snow.Note to Teacher: This is a great book to introduce a unit on diversity. Each snowflake is so different from the next. Also Wilson Bentley was definelty different from his peers, and did not let that stop him from attaining his dream. I think this is a wonderful book for students self-esteem. Of course, you can also use it for the winter months and the study of the rain cycle,etc.

The story of Wilson Bentley and snowflakes.

This children's book, illustrated by Mary Azarian, won the 1999 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a book for children. It is the story of Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931) of Jericho, Vermont, who had a passion for studying snowflakes. Having developed a technique for photographing snowflakes, he spent years collecting and giving lectures in the midst of running his farm: a true farmer-scientist. He even wrote a text called Snow Crystals. He noted the six sidedness of most crystals and a few three-sided. One wonders what he would have said upon hearing that some researchers in the late 1990s had found two identical snowflakes since he had never been able to find two that were alike. This book is a celebration not only of the man but of our love and interest in the natural world. Children will enjoy this book with its magnificent woodcuts immensely.

A lovely book for children of all ages.

This lovely book is a perfect blend of fascinating real-life story and beautiful illustration. I am purchasing it for grandchldren in hope that some of them are encouraged to follow their dreams, some are persuaded to persist in exploring their interests and some just bask in the beauty. I think children up to ten will enjoy this book.

Bentley is a renewed hit in primary classrooms!

As a seasoned primary teacher eager for a new slant on teaching the traditional science unit on water, I was delighted to find Snowflake Bentley having been familiar with him from his famous pictures of snowflakes. Living in Alaska, snow is about the best way to start. I quickly bought the book impressed with the illustrations and the sidebar full of detailed facts which my second graders enjoyed and the story line which was more accesible to my first graders. Snowflakes will never be the same again for them! They loved it and loved Bentley for his patience and curiosity for nature. Additionally, they admired the parents of Bentley who spent most of their earnings on his sought after camera for his famous study. Go out and buy it before the snow melts!