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Red Sky at Night
A memorable collection of weather sayings, beautifully arranged in story form and illustrated by renowned paper artist Elly MacKay.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight. And, the next morning, when the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass. These are the perfect conditions for a grandfather to take his grandchildren out on a fishing trip. Especially since, as the saying goes, when the wind is from the West, then the fishes bite the best. The family takes a boat out on the lake, fishing and swimming and eventually camping out on a nearby island, taking full advantage of the gorgeous weather. But the next day . . . red sky in the morning, sailors take warning! The family ventures back home just in time to avoid a rainstorm. But not to worry -- the more rain, the more rest. Fair weather's not always best.
Acclaimed paper artist Elly MacKay illustrates a lovely family narrative through the use of weather aphorisms, creating a beautiful and informational story which will appeal to children's timeless fascination with the natural world.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight. And, the next morning, when the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass. These are the perfect conditions for a grandfather to take his grandchildren out on a fishing trip. Especially since, as the saying goes, when the wind is from the West, then the fishes bite the best. The family takes a boat out on the lake, fishing and swimming and eventually camping out on a nearby island, taking full advantage of the gorgeous weather. But the next day . . . red sky in the morning, sailors take warning! The family ventures back home just in time to avoid a rainstorm. But not to worry -- the more rain, the more rest. Fair weather's not always best.
Acclaimed paper artist Elly MacKay illustrates a lovely family narrative through the use of weather aphorisms, creating a beautiful and informational story which will appeal to children's timeless fascination with the natural world.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2018
3 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Elly MacKay
29 books101 followersI’m Elly MacKay, a.k.a Theater Clouds. I live in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada with my husband Simon and little ones, Lily and Koen. I live a short drive from where I grew up – in an old church in Big Bay. I am an artist, making scenes using paper, light and photography. I refer to it as paper theater, lightbox illustrations or illuminated papercraft… It has been several years, but I am still working on a name for this technique.
I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the University of Canterbury for illustration, printmaking and electronic art. However, it wasn’t until the birth of my daughter Lily, that I began working in this way.
Well, sort of…
I used to spend a great deal of time as a kid making dioramas and tunnel books. As a teen, I sold them at 1st Hand Gallery in Toronto. I stopped making them when I went off to art school to explore other interests. After graduating I was enjoying working at a gallery but the birth of my daughter sparked something in me. I wanted to create things in the way that I had in my youth. I wanted to make things for the simple pleasure of making… to create my own little worlds and explore childhood again through my daughter’s eyes. I told my husband about my wish and he made me a beautiful little theater to work in. These illuminated paper scenes are a return to working with layers of paper like the dioramas and tunnel books I had made as a kid, but with the addition of lighting and photography. I set up layers of drawings on a small scale in my very tiny stage. They are wonderfully fun to create. You can take a look at my process page, to see how I make them.
I use this technique to create photographic prints and illustrations for children’s books. At times I have worked on a larger scale, creating installations. In the future I hope to do some animation as well. Simon recently made an animation table so hopefully I will be able to show you my simple stop-motion animations. I take inspiration from several sources:
My work often plays with the themes of childhood, and the ephemeral. I look to my own childhood, and to my experience as a mother.
I have a fascination with Victorian curiosities, and set design. I love anything that involves a trick of the eye – zoetropes, paper theaters, tunnel books, pop-ups, etc. As a teen, I took a trip to meet members of The Movable Book Society with my Mom, Joan Irvine. She is a paper-engineer and author. The trip was an education in papercraft.
I am also always looking to the land and weather here on Georgian Bay for inspiration.
ETSY:
https://www.etsy.com/people/theatercl...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/theaterclouds
I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the University of Canterbury for illustration, printmaking and electronic art. However, it wasn’t until the birth of my daughter Lily, that I began working in this way.
Well, sort of…
I used to spend a great deal of time as a kid making dioramas and tunnel books. As a teen, I sold them at 1st Hand Gallery in Toronto. I stopped making them when I went off to art school to explore other interests. After graduating I was enjoying working at a gallery but the birth of my daughter sparked something in me. I wanted to create things in the way that I had in my youth. I wanted to make things for the simple pleasure of making… to create my own little worlds and explore childhood again through my daughter’s eyes. I told my husband about my wish and he made me a beautiful little theater to work in. These illuminated paper scenes are a return to working with layers of paper like the dioramas and tunnel books I had made as a kid, but with the addition of lighting and photography. I set up layers of drawings on a small scale in my very tiny stage. They are wonderfully fun to create. You can take a look at my process page, to see how I make them.
I use this technique to create photographic prints and illustrations for children’s books. At times I have worked on a larger scale, creating installations. In the future I hope to do some animation as well. Simon recently made an animation table so hopefully I will be able to show you my simple stop-motion animations. I take inspiration from several sources:
My work often plays with the themes of childhood, and the ephemeral. I look to my own childhood, and to my experience as a mother.
I have a fascination with Victorian curiosities, and set design. I love anything that involves a trick of the eye – zoetropes, paper theaters, tunnel books, pop-ups, etc. As a teen, I took a trip to meet members of The Movable Book Society with my Mom, Joan Irvine. She is a paper-engineer and author. The trip was an education in papercraft.
I am also always looking to the land and weather here on Georgian Bay for inspiration.
ETSY:
https://www.etsy.com/people/theatercl...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/theaterclouds
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
June 15, 2018
I was really astonished by the weather aphorisms in this children's book written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Also, I like how the author presented this through a narrative form that makes it very entertaining to read.
At the end of the book, there's a compilation of all the weather sayings and the explanation if they are true or not. Even though that this is meant for young readers, I learned a lot from reading this and was delighted at the same time.
At the end of the book, there's a compilation of all the weather sayings and the explanation if they are true or not. Even though that this is meant for young readers, I learned a lot from reading this and was delighted at the same time.
February 16, 2020
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning!I grew up knowing these by heart but it turns out there are plenty of weather sayings that have bypassed me entirely. The text in this children’s book is made up of some well known and some more obscure weather sayings, with some information about how accurate they are included at the end.
It’s only when you look at the illustrations that you learn the book’s story. A grandfather takes his grandchildren out on a boat. They fish, swim and camp overnight before returning home just before a storm.
My two favourite illustrations feature an owl
and a whale.
As I read this book I imagined the grandfather paying attention to the weather and explaining the saying that matched each weather condition to his grandkids. I know I think of my grandfather and smile whenever someone mentions the sayings associated with sailors.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.
February 25, 2020
Loved the paper artwork. Nice rhyming.
December 9, 2017
This book is good for selected audiences. It is a beautiful picture book featuring various weather sayings, such as "Red sky in morning, shepherds take warning." There isn't a plot and there aren't characters that you follow through the book. There is a saying and illustration to match the saying. At the end of the book, there is some information on how true the sayings are and why they are or why they aren't helpful.
It is probably excellent for kids who enjoy weather but aren't quite ready for longer books. It is a very pretty book, so if you want to share some fun weather lore in a nice picture book format, well, this is probably an excellent choice for you.
It is probably excellent for kids who enjoy weather but aren't quite ready for longer books. It is a very pretty book, so if you want to share some fun weather lore in a nice picture book format, well, this is probably an excellent choice for you.
July 29, 2021
Gorgeous! Elly MacKay’s style is perfectly suited to these beautiful scenes of a grandfather (?) taking the children fishing on a boat through an eventful day of changing weather. The illustrations carry the story as the words are just various folk sayBugs about the weather. Most expressions were new to me, through I grew up with, “red sky at night, sailor’s delight” thanks to my dad’s love of sailing. I like that the back of the book explains the accuracy of the sayings and the scientific reasoning behind the ones that are true—though this is definitely more for educators as it’s lengthy for the target audience.
November 4, 2022
Gorgeous art. The pictures tell a 'wordless' story as they illustrate the proverbs. Back matter explains the truth behind the sayings. I would have absolutely adored this when I was a child and read it over and over. I did know some of the sayings beforehand but many are new to me and might have proven of value.
I do wonder, though, of their relevance during this era of rapid climate change. I imagine they're mostly still as true, for the short-term predictions that they make, as they ever were, but I'm not sure. Still, I think this would be a valuable book for classrooms and homeschooling families.
Oh, and I appreciate that the explanatory notes make the modification, when relevant, of "in temperate zones."
I do wonder, though, of their relevance during this era of rapid climate change. I imagine they're mostly still as true, for the short-term predictions that they make, as they ever were, but I'm not sure. Still, I think this would be a valuable book for classrooms and homeschooling families.
Oh, and I appreciate that the explanatory notes make the modification, when relevant, of "in temperate zones."
November 24, 2017
I was immediately attracted to the beautiful cover art on Red Sky at Night. The colors are so soft, complement each other well, and seem filled with light. The human characters in the illustrations appear to be paper cut-outs, so I took a look at author/artist Elly MacKay's website to see what she shares about her artistic process. There she provides some examples of the "layers" that she builds in a theater setting to create her images -- so cool!
The text of this book is comprised of "weather sayings," some of which we have probably all heard before (such as the title). The illustrations serve as the primary narrative, and depict a grandfather taking his grandchildren on a fishing trip. Since so many weather sayings revolve around the sea, this is a fitting framework for the text, and I really love the accompanying images, especially the one with the whale!
To be honest, I was a bit skeptical of many of these sayings until I reached the end of the book and found an explanation for the scientific principles behind each one. Of course, none of them are foolproof and some may be questionable, but when you consider that these were written by people, such as farmers and fishermen, whose lives revolved so closely around the weather, it makes a lot more sense.
In short, I really enjoyed this book, and the beautiful illustrations have inspired me to check out more work by Elly MacKay.
(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)
The text of this book is comprised of "weather sayings," some of which we have probably all heard before (such as the title). The illustrations serve as the primary narrative, and depict a grandfather taking his grandchildren on a fishing trip. Since so many weather sayings revolve around the sea, this is a fitting framework for the text, and I really love the accompanying images, especially the one with the whale!
To be honest, I was a bit skeptical of many of these sayings until I reached the end of the book and found an explanation for the scientific principles behind each one. Of course, none of them are foolproof and some may be questionable, but when you consider that these were written by people, such as farmers and fishermen, whose lives revolved so closely around the weather, it makes a lot more sense.
In short, I really enjoyed this book, and the beautiful illustrations have inspired me to check out more work by Elly MacKay.
(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)
December 23, 2017
This book is comprised of "weather sayings," some of which we have probably all heard before and others that I had never heard of. If you follow the illustrations they tell a story of a grandfather taking his grandchildren fishing. The illustrations were the best part of the book for me. They were done paper artist, Elly McKay. They were beautiful scenes and look three dimensional. The colours are soft and the illustrations are large. You can look at each page for quite awhile to see everything that is happening. When you get to the end of the book, there is information about each saying such as where it came from, who wrote it etc. Most of them are partially true and have their roots in science. This would be a great book to use in a school in various ways. It can be used in a weather unit, as an inspiration for an art lesson using paper layers and even for an english unit to write sayings, research etc. A great book for any school library. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
February 7, 2019
I love the illustrations in this collection of sayings about the weather, but I am less enamored of the text. There were only two or three sayings in the book that I'd ever heard before, and the others felt like variations on the same themes. I did like the section at the back of the book that explained whether and why each saying was accurate, and I wished I had realized it was in there before reading the book aloud, as turning it into a guessing game would have engaged my daughters much more. But the use of light in the pictures is beautiful and effective, and my three-year-old, especially, wanted to study the illustrations to see what the characters (both the people and the cats) were doing on each page. She also got very interested in the photo accompanying the author bio, which shows how MacKay constructs each piece of her art. I'm definitely going to look up more information about that! All in all, though, while I might recommend this book to my friend who is a meteorologist, I'm not sure it would be that useful for helping kids to learn about the weather.
November 25, 2017
How many sayings do you know about the weather? The only ones I knew, in this book were:
And although I did not know this saying
I was aware of this weather phenomenon, and have mentioned it many times in the past.
The illustrations are paper craft, and gorgeous, and each of the sayings, are explained at the end of the book, where it explains what each saying means, and why it works. Beautiful book to look at, and good information for children to have, because, sometimes you don't have access to the weather.com (which isn't always right for your neighborhood anyway).
Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Red Sky at Morning,
Sailers take warning
Red Sky at Night
Sailers delight.
And although I did not know this saying
If seabirds fly to land
There truly is a storm at hand
I was aware of this weather phenomenon, and have mentioned it many times in the past.
The illustrations are paper craft, and gorgeous, and each of the sayings, are explained at the end of the book, where it explains what each saying means, and why it works. Beautiful book to look at, and good information for children to have, because, sometimes you don't have access to the weather.com (which isn't always right for your neighborhood anyway).
Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.
May 24, 2018
"Long ago, here and far away, people looked for clues in nature to predict the weather. They learn from experience by watching the shapes of clouds or noticing the behavior of animals. This wisdom was passed down through sayings like the ones in this book."
Poetic, entertaining and GORGEOUSLY illustrated, this book will definitely become a favorite for me and my children. This book is perfect for young readers. And the fact that it has old folklore mixed with Mother Goose like rhymes is perfect for readers just starting out to love books.
I can't describe how absolutely gorgeous both the cover and the inside illustrations are. This book was very well put together and well-thought-out. Very well done. Bravo! I highly recommend this book to anyone with children!
Poetic, entertaining and GORGEOUSLY illustrated, this book will definitely become a favorite for me and my children. This book is perfect for young readers. And the fact that it has old folklore mixed with Mother Goose like rhymes is perfect for readers just starting out to love books.
I can't describe how absolutely gorgeous both the cover and the inside illustrations are. This book was very well put together and well-thought-out. Very well done. Bravo! I highly recommend this book to anyone with children!
August 10, 2018
The art in this book is amazing! I love paper art to begin with, but the use of light around and behind some of the paper is really unique. The story of 2 children and their grandfather going on a camping trip is told through weather adages like, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight." The simple, rhyming text and the soothing, beautiful pictures make this excellent for young and older audiences.
Good for preschool and toddler storytimes.
Good for preschool and toddler storytimes.
July 2, 2018
Full of fun pictures and sayings about the weather.
Ages: 4 - 8
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
Ages: 4 - 8
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
November 18, 2019
Going through this entire book reading one saying after another, my kid lost focus and was done with the book before we got to the endpages where the good stuff is. There you find info about each saying and if it is true/false. There are some super cool weather facts there! Could have been so good if each saying and info were presented on the same page spread!
February 8, 2024
Red Sky at Night uses known weather sayings to illustrate how weather has been predicted throughout time and cultures. The images are beautiful and we appreciated the information given about how these sayings have been pertinent. This is a sweet read.
February 7, 2019
My kid didn't care about this but I thought the artwork was gorgeous and I learned a thing or two about all those weather phrases that get thrown around.
December 22, 2022
Cute children's book about old sayings to predict the weather.
February 27, 2019
It goes on too long. Should have stopped at 32 pages. It's just saying after saying with no progression. The three-dimensional illustrations are stunning.
November 29, 2021
A delightful book! The art work is lovely, the kind where you want to pause and take it all in while pondering the sayings of the weather. My girls thought the book was lovely.
July 16, 2018
Review based on ARC (Advanced Review Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).
What a beautiful book. The pictures were gorgeous. and I was even more impressed once I learned how the artist put them together! The words part of the book were fine. They are sayings that are matched with the pictures, and some of them are sweet and others informative. There is a little additional information on them provided later in the book as well. Although it was less "story" than I normally like, it still worked for me. It is always fun to have these sayings in your "back pocket" for when weather pops up unexpectedly.
Overall, FOUR of five stars.
What a beautiful book. The pictures were gorgeous. and I was even more impressed once I learned how the artist put them together! The words part of the book were fine. They are sayings that are matched with the pictures, and some of them are sweet and others informative. There is a little additional information on them provided later in the book as well. Although it was less "story" than I normally like, it still worked for me. It is always fun to have these sayings in your "back pocket" for when weather pops up unexpectedly.
Overall, FOUR of five stars.
September 1, 2019
Absolutely gorgeous.
May 31, 2018
A beautifully illustrated book that showcases weather sayings, only a few of which I had heard before!
Some new and interesting ones:
When the dew is on the grass, no rain shall come to pass.
When the mist creeps up the hill, fishers, it's time to try your skill.
No weather is ill if the wind is still.
When ladybugs swarm, expect a day that's warm.
When the wind is from the West, then the fishes bite the best.
Wind from the East is neither good for man nor beast.
If seabirds fly to land, there truly is a storm at hand.
... and many more!
Some new and interesting ones:
When the dew is on the grass, no rain shall come to pass.
When the mist creeps up the hill, fishers, it's time to try your skill.
No weather is ill if the wind is still.
When ladybugs swarm, expect a day that's warm.
When the wind is from the West, then the fishes bite the best.
Wind from the East is neither good for man nor beast.
If seabirds fly to land, there truly is a storm at hand.
... and many more!
May 2, 2018
I have collected folk sayings for years and have passed many on to my daughter and children I've worked with down the years. This is a lovely book of sayings that are going to get lost if they aren't passed on, so yes, buy a copy for the kids (all ages!) and pass them on!
I actually have a hard copy on my desk this morning and wanted to say the illustrations are lovely! As a cat lover I also love the inclusion of cat and kittens throughout the book! Super Cute!
I received Kindle copy from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I actually have a hard copy on my desk this morning and wanted to say the illustrations are lovely! As a cat lover I also love the inclusion of cat and kittens throughout the book! Super Cute!
I received Kindle copy from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
June 1, 2020
ARC COPY...immensely narrative about nature, and the weather along with the cultural sayings that come with it. I was immensely impressed the illustrations were literally hand crafted...it's all what looks like paper-craft. It gave a "solid" feel you it like I can almost touch the illustrations and was immersed in it.
September 6, 2018
This is a beautiful children's book to look through and read the weather predictions that are quoted on the pages. The illustrations portray the folklore that is expressed on each page. What I found fascinating with the illustrations are, the use of layers that accompany some of the illustrations.
For the prediction:
"When the wind is from the West,
then the fishes bite the best."
There is a red sailboat with an adult and two smaller individuals on the water. A heron is floating nearby. There are layers in the water with varying colors and shadows from the rocks and hills nearby. Plants and fish are in the water, and there is also a huge whale with more detail as he is closer. A fog covers the top of the water. Houses and trees and rocks are on land with varying details depending upon how close they are. There are clouds and birds in the sky, again with varying details. There is a lot of see in these illustrations, the layers to me are fascinating.
There are 23 predictions with accompany illustrations in this children's book. There are some that I have heard before and many, that I was not aware of. I loved that the author wrote in the back, explanations of what these predictions really mean so individuals reading this book can understand and comprehend what they actually have read.
"Trout jump high when rain is nigh." means "True, When there is low air pressure, it usually spells rain. Before the rain comes, insects fly low, looking for cover. Minnows, on the other hand, come to the surface of the water, following the raising gas bubbles that have been released by the low air pressure. If you are out before the rain, you might see fish jumping to catch the low-flying insects or in pursuit of the minnows."
Great book with wonderful illustrations. Science related and I liked how it's educational too.
For the prediction:
"When the wind is from the West,
then the fishes bite the best."
There is a red sailboat with an adult and two smaller individuals on the water. A heron is floating nearby. There are layers in the water with varying colors and shadows from the rocks and hills nearby. Plants and fish are in the water, and there is also a huge whale with more detail as he is closer. A fog covers the top of the water. Houses and trees and rocks are on land with varying details depending upon how close they are. There are clouds and birds in the sky, again with varying details. There is a lot of see in these illustrations, the layers to me are fascinating.
There are 23 predictions with accompany illustrations in this children's book. There are some that I have heard before and many, that I was not aware of. I loved that the author wrote in the back, explanations of what these predictions really mean so individuals reading this book can understand and comprehend what they actually have read.
"Trout jump high when rain is nigh." means "True, When there is low air pressure, it usually spells rain. Before the rain comes, insects fly low, looking for cover. Minnows, on the other hand, come to the surface of the water, following the raising gas bubbles that have been released by the low air pressure. If you are out before the rain, you might see fish jumping to catch the low-flying insects or in pursuit of the minnows."
Great book with wonderful illustrations. Science related and I liked how it's educational too.
July 17, 2019
Elly MacKay continues to show her range of artistic skill. Every book by her (I have read three) carries a different style, a different look. This says a lot about her gifts. Her book, Waltz of the Snowflakes I felt was overlooked by the ALCS for the Caldecott Award. (It seems like they always overlook the most deserving book in favor of mediocrity)
Here again, MacKays talents are in full effect, with a style not shown in her other books. She is continually redefining her style. What I did not realize until the end of the book was that the art was not simply drawn, but a combination of 3-D cutouts. It is very impressive indeed. But while the art is top notch, the story (in this case, old weather sayings) is rather forgettable. There is nothing to get emotionally attached to, other than her fine illustrations, which do actually tell something of a familial story. I would have given it more than 3 stars is there had been a real story. Children may enjoy the artwork, but they won't give a toot for the weather rhymes.
December 5, 2017
Written in rhyme, this book is a collection of "weather predictions" some of which I heard my mother say to me and some which were totally unfamiliar which is a good thing because I learned something new. You are never too old to learn brand new things I always say.
Here are a few that are included:
"Red sky at night, a sailor's delight."
"When the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass."
"No weather is ill if the wind be still."
"Yellow streaks in a sunset sky, wind and daylong rain are nigh."
"Whether it's cold or whether it's hot, we shall have weather, whether or not."
"Ring around the moon, rain will come soon. "
"Cats leap about and chase their tails to warn of thunderstorms and gales." Just to cite a few.
The illustrations enrich the sayings and take them to a whole new level. Elly MacKay is a paper artist extraordinaire and her crafted creations are simply beautiful. She skillfully designs family interactions around the weather patterns. The storyline is not only visually stunning but informative as well.
I am sure that kids will enjoy these catchy weather aphorisms and will put them into practise to see if they are true in the area of the world that they live in. Highly recommended.
Here are a few that are included:
"Red sky at night, a sailor's delight."
"When the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass."
"No weather is ill if the wind be still."
"Yellow streaks in a sunset sky, wind and daylong rain are nigh."
"Whether it's cold or whether it's hot, we shall have weather, whether or not."
"Ring around the moon, rain will come soon. "
"Cats leap about and chase their tails to warn of thunderstorms and gales." Just to cite a few.
The illustrations enrich the sayings and take them to a whole new level. Elly MacKay is a paper artist extraordinaire and her crafted creations are simply beautiful. She skillfully designs family interactions around the weather patterns. The storyline is not only visually stunning but informative as well.
I am sure that kids will enjoy these catchy weather aphorisms and will put them into practise to see if they are true in the area of the world that they live in. Highly recommended.
January 11, 2019
A series of weather-related sayings form the words in this book while also telling the story of a family heading out on a fishing trip for the day. The book begins with sayings like “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” and “When the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass.” They indicate that it’s a great day to head out to fish and camp, so a grandfather takes his grandchildren out. There are sayings about sunset, about the moon, about rain. The next day on their way home though, the weather begins to change. Even the morning begins ominously with a “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” The little family makes it home before the rain begins, cozy and warm inside.
MacKay takes these sayings and weaves them together in to a story arc that guides young readers through the outdoors and the changing weather. Her illustrations are exceptional. Done with paper, light and photography, she calls them “lightbox illustrations or illuminated papercraft.” Her illustrations have such depth that one almost expects them to be physically layered pages in the book. The light in the illustrations bathes the reader, creating a physical experience of the weather at that moment.
An exceptional picture book about weather and beauty. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
MacKay takes these sayings and weaves them together in to a story arc that guides young readers through the outdoors and the changing weather. Her illustrations are exceptional. Done with paper, light and photography, she calls them “lightbox illustrations or illuminated papercraft.” Her illustrations have such depth that one almost expects them to be physically layered pages in the book. The light in the illustrations bathes the reader, creating a physical experience of the weather at that moment.
An exceptional picture book about weather and beauty. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
January 18, 2018
I received a free digital copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
What an interesting and informative kid's book! Red Sky at Night is full of weather "sayings" created thoughout the years when people did not have means to predict the weather with technology. I was surprised. My parents, especially my dad who grew up in a very agricultural area, still use some of these sayings. When the mist creeps up the hill, fishers it's time to test your skill. Reading that brought me back!
Each saying has a corresponding image that depicts a scene. I really liked the use of paper art and bright, vibrant colors used in the illustrations. I think the interesting mix of surreal and pastoral really made this book pop. There's even an informative section in the back of the book that tells a little more about each saying and whether it has validity or not.
I can see Red Sky at Night being a good choice for children interested in weather phenomenon, but also as a good story time book at a library. So glad I picked this one up!
5/5 stars
What an interesting and informative kid's book! Red Sky at Night is full of weather "sayings" created thoughout the years when people did not have means to predict the weather with technology. I was surprised. My parents, especially my dad who grew up in a very agricultural area, still use some of these sayings. When the mist creeps up the hill, fishers it's time to test your skill. Reading that brought me back!
Each saying has a corresponding image that depicts a scene. I really liked the use of paper art and bright, vibrant colors used in the illustrations. I think the interesting mix of surreal and pastoral really made this book pop. There's even an informative section in the back of the book that tells a little more about each saying and whether it has validity or not.
I can see Red Sky at Night being a good choice for children interested in weather phenomenon, but also as a good story time book at a library. So glad I picked this one up!
5/5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews