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Groundhog Weather School
The must-have book for Groundhog Day--and the rest of the year! With pop-art illustrations, a tongue-in-cheek tone, and a riot of detail, kids learn all the important aspects of Groundhog Day. And where better to learn it than Groundhog Weather School! Professor Groundhog opens a school so groundhogs can learn to accurately forecast the weather each February. Following along with the amusing cast of students, kids are drawn in by the thoroughly engaging tale while they learn fun facts about different animals (groundhogs in particular), seasons, weather, and predicting the weather. With funny asides and a comic-style approach to the illustrations, this informational story presents a fresh look at Groundhog Day through the eyes of the animals who live it each year.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published December 24, 2009
About the author
Joan Holub
370 books1,235 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 7, 2014
Join eight groundhogs (and one determined skunk!) as they learn all about forecasting the weather and the coming of spring.
This was a fairly fascinating read. I had NO IDEA there were other famous prognosticating rodents out there in addition to Punxsutawney Phil, but say hello to General Beauregard Lee and Staten Island Chuck. You'll also learn about nature's other weather predictors, like leaves, honeybees and cows, and meet famous weather "men" like Evangelista Torricelli who invented the barometer and Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley. Shadows, seasons and hibernation are also explored.
Illustrations are cute and plenty of humor guarantees this should be enjoyed by a wide age group.
But, beware all you future Willard Scotts and Al Rokers! You'll need to pass a quiz if you expect to graduate.
This was a fairly fascinating read. I had NO IDEA there were other famous prognosticating rodents out there in addition to Punxsutawney Phil, but say hello to General Beauregard Lee and Staten Island Chuck. You'll also learn about nature's other weather predictors, like leaves, honeybees and cows, and meet famous weather "men" like Evangelista Torricelli who invented the barometer and Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley. Shadows, seasons and hibernation are also explored.
Illustrations are cute and plenty of humor guarantees this should be enjoyed by a wide age group.
But, beware all you future Willard Scotts and Al Rokers! You'll need to pass a quiz if you expect to graduate.
February 10, 2011
GoodReads Summary:
The must-have book for Groundhog Day—and the rest of the year!
With pop-art illustrations, a tongue-in-cheek tone, and a riot of detail, kids learn all the important aspects of Groundhog Day. And where better to learn it than Groundhog Weather School!
Professor Groundhog opens a school so groundhogs can learn to accurately forecast the weather each February. Following along with the amusing cast of students, kids are drawn in by the thoroughly engaging tale while they learn fun facts about different animals (groundhogs in particular), seasons, weather, and predicting the weather. With funny asides and a comic-style approach to the illustrations, this informational story presents a fresh look at Groundhog Day through the eyes of the animals who live it each year.
This is a great book for introducing children to weather and the complicated task of forecasting. Shelved in some libraries as an easy fiction book and shelved in others as a non-fiction book, this book is both entertaining and informative. Readers will learn about groundhogs (including famous groundhogs like Punxsutawney Phil) and weather.
This is a must have for any school or classroom library.
Recommended for Kindergarten and up.
Mrs. Archer's rating 5 of 5.
The must-have book for Groundhog Day—and the rest of the year!
With pop-art illustrations, a tongue-in-cheek tone, and a riot of detail, kids learn all the important aspects of Groundhog Day. And where better to learn it than Groundhog Weather School!
Professor Groundhog opens a school so groundhogs can learn to accurately forecast the weather each February. Following along with the amusing cast of students, kids are drawn in by the thoroughly engaging tale while they learn fun facts about different animals (groundhogs in particular), seasons, weather, and predicting the weather. With funny asides and a comic-style approach to the illustrations, this informational story presents a fresh look at Groundhog Day through the eyes of the animals who live it each year.
This is a great book for introducing children to weather and the complicated task of forecasting. Shelved in some libraries as an easy fiction book and shelved in others as a non-fiction book, this book is both entertaining and informative. Readers will learn about groundhogs (including famous groundhogs like Punxsutawney Phil) and weather.
This is a must have for any school or classroom library.
Recommended for Kindergarten and up.
Mrs. Archer's rating 5 of 5.
January 29, 2010
As a mom I'm always looking out for a book that helps explain the holidays, especially the not so commercialized ones. This book is great. It keeps the child's interest while teaching the true facts about groundhogs and why we celebrate Groundhog Day. I learned a few thing too, I had no idea their were other famous groundhogs beside Punxsutawney Phil. There is even a groundhog, Wiarton Willie from Canada, who tries to predict which team will win the Super Bowl. The book is written in a funny entertaining way so kids don't lose interest with the facts they are being given about groundhogs and the cute illustrations compliment the story completely.
This book is entertaining, informative, funny and beautifully illustrated. The book is also long enough that by the end of it your child will know why we celebrate Groundhog Day and what a groundhog actually is.
This book is entertaining, informative, funny and beautifully illustrated. The book is also long enough that by the end of it your child will know why we celebrate Groundhog Day and what a groundhog actually is.
February 9, 2017
Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts About Weather and Groundhogs written by Joan Holub and illustrated by Kristin Sorra was published by Puffin Books in 2013. The book is 32 pages long and the genre is fiction. This book best accommodates students in kindergarten to third grade. The lexile level is AD630L and the guided reading level is O.
Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts About Weather and Groundhogs is a great book about weather. This book is a fresh informative text that takes a look at Groundhogs Day through the eyes of groundhogs. This book also answers questions like – Wonder where Groundhog Day first began? Want to know the reason why we have different weather seasons? Curious about how some plants and animals can help predict the weather?. This book is funny and full of great illustrations.
An activity that I would do that goes along with this book is having the students create an interactive notebook about groundhogs and Groundhogs Day. The interactive notebook would include things such as facts about groundhogs, a KWL chart, comparison of groundhogs and other animals from the book, a groundhogs can/have/are section, and many more. This activity would be on going throughout the week leading up to Groundhogs Day where they will find out if the groundhog saw his shadow or not. A standard that goes along with this activity would be Literacy.RI.2.6- Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe. You could tie science into this book by talking about weather because it is discussed frequently throughout the book.
Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts About Weather and Groundhogs is a great book about weather. This book is a fresh informative text that takes a look at Groundhogs Day through the eyes of groundhogs. This book also answers questions like – Wonder where Groundhog Day first began? Want to know the reason why we have different weather seasons? Curious about how some plants and animals can help predict the weather?. This book is funny and full of great illustrations.
An activity that I would do that goes along with this book is having the students create an interactive notebook about groundhogs and Groundhogs Day. The interactive notebook would include things such as facts about groundhogs, a KWL chart, comparison of groundhogs and other animals from the book, a groundhogs can/have/are section, and many more. This activity would be on going throughout the week leading up to Groundhogs Day where they will find out if the groundhog saw his shadow or not. A standard that goes along with this activity would be Literacy.RI.2.6- Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe. You could tie science into this book by talking about weather because it is discussed frequently throughout the book.
February 13, 2023
Groundhog Weather School is set up as informational in the same way as the Magic School Bus books (and videos) where the "students" are actively learning and providing information to the reader. There is a page where the weather school students provide information about groundhogs, another page about weather, and another about the specificities of burrows. Most of the facts are provided through speech bubbles and presentations from the students.
I like the way the book addresses traditions as well as science. It is important to see how both of these things connect around holidays that celebrate seasons and natural phenomena.
Groundhog Weather School is wordier than I was expecting, and there's a lot going on throughout the pages. I got this to share with my kids at work, but I'm hoping they'll be able to get a lot from the pictures as well as the words for this one. There's a lot going on, but I hope they can pick up on the humor, at least.
*
I like the way the book addresses traditions as well as science. It is important to see how both of these things connect around holidays that celebrate seasons and natural phenomena.
Groundhog Weather School is wordier than I was expecting, and there's a lot going on throughout the pages. I got this to share with my kids at work, but I'm hoping they'll be able to get a lot from the pictures as well as the words for this one. There's a lot going on, but I hope they can pick up on the humor, at least.
*
November 24, 2010
This was a fantastic read. Not only did it teach my kids about the history of Groundhog Day in a fun and enchanting manner, but I learned a few new things as well. Joan did a fantastic job at incorporating science/weather and little bit of history in a fun, educational manner, as Groundhog teaches a few other mammals how to help him be a weather reporter on Groundhog Day. He does this by teaching them about Groundhog Day, learning about weather, the seasons, hibernation and talking about a few other famous Groundhogs.
I really liked how unique this book is, as how often do we get to learn about one of less commercialized holidays. The illustrations are fun, the story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend this book for preschool, Kindergartner and 1st grade aged kids. My kids and I give this book 5 stars!!
I really liked how unique this book is, as how often do we get to learn about one of less commercialized holidays. The illustrations are fun, the story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend this book for preschool, Kindergartner and 1st grade aged kids. My kids and I give this book 5 stars!!
December 1, 2010
This was a fantastic read. Not only did it teach my kids about the history of Groundhog Day in a fun and enchanting manner, but I learned a few new things as well. Joan did a fantastic job at incorporating science/weather and little bit of history in a fun, educational manner, as Groundhog teaches a few other mammals how to help him be a weather reporter on Groundhog Day. He does this by teaching them about Groundhog Day, learning about weather, the seasons, hibernation and talking about a few other famous Groundhogs.
I really liked how unique this book is, as how often do we get to learn about one of less commercialized holidays. The illustrations are fun, the story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend this book for preschool, Kindergartner and 1st grade aged kids. My kids and I give this book 5 stars!!
I really liked how unique this book is, as how often do we get to learn about one of less commercialized holidays. The illustrations are fun, the story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend this book for preschool, Kindergartner and 1st grade aged kids. My kids and I give this book 5 stars!!
April 16, 2010
Well, it’s funny (I actually didn’t find it that amusing but I think I would have thought it was funny when I was still a kid), and informative (about groundhogs, the tradition of Groundhog Day, the seasons, etc. etc., and I learned some things, most notably that Punxsutawney Phil is not the only famous groundhog, but many regions have their own named groundhog), and there’s lot of interesting facts on every page, and it’s told in a catchy way, and it’s scientifically sound, and it’s cute, so I don’t know why it didn’t grab me. Maybe it’s my mood or maybe it’s simply not one of my favorite books. I don’t think it’s the greatest read aloud book but for independent readers around Groundhog Day, I suspect many of them would enjoy it and learn something too.
February 2, 2012
First Grade Jags 2011 say:
We read this book because it is Groundhog Day. We learned how animals and plants can help us predict the weather. We also learned that a shadow = 6 more weeks of winter.
First Grade Jags 2012 say:
We read this book on Groundhog day. We learned that no shadow = an early spring. We learned that groundhogs hibernate and their burrows have bathrooms, bedrooms and storage for food. They even have a back door.
We read this book because it is Groundhog Day. We learned how animals and plants can help us predict the weather. We also learned that a shadow = 6 more weeks of winter.
First Grade Jags 2012 say:
We read this book on Groundhog day. We learned that no shadow = an early spring. We learned that groundhogs hibernate and their burrows have bathrooms, bedrooms and storage for food. They even have a back door.
February 11, 2010
This is a wonderful book! Classroom teachers should jump at this book, it offers so many different literacy forms that they could use in their classrooms. It also offers a worthwhile look at the Groundhog myth that will lead to much better discussions with children.
March 25, 2010
Rabbit suggests that Groundhog get more help to see all of North America. He creates an invitation for Groundhog Weather School. Some of their schooling includes the geHOGraphy and Shadow Studies. Even with all of the extra help, it is still hard to predict the weather.
April 4, 2010
I checked it out from our local library because I like this author. I think this would be a great book to read to kids at the end of January as groundhod day is approaching. It is fun and informative like many of Joan's books.
April 30, 2015
Lots of fun weather and groundhog facts in this bright book. And it mentions Canada's Wiarton Willie, among all the other, U.S. based groundhog prognosticators. Colourful illustrations and amusing personalities among the Groundhog Weather School students, including the foreign exchange student!
February 19, 2010
The combination of fact told through a well-written fiction story and awesome illustrations make this a great book to share on Groundhog Day.
March 2, 2010
A great new book for my favorite holiday! Packed with good info, it's still fun to read - reminds me of Laurie Keller's tooth book that way. Well done!
March 11, 2010
I cannot wait to share this next February.
June 6, 2010
My 5 year old son loves this book and has asked me to read it over and over! It is well done and gives lots of facts about groundhogs and other things.
June 28, 2010
There's a lot of weather learning goin on in this book. I've been looking for a good Groundhog's day read. This will definitely work with the 4's, but too long and detailed for the 3's.
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January 28, 2012Fun, but too complicated for lower elementary explanation of Groundhog Day.
March 15, 2019
When Professor Groundhog receives a suggestion that he expand his team for more accurate weather predictions, he takes up the challenge. He recruits several new prognosticators (some groundhogs and a skunk "foreign exchange student") and trains them to read the weather. Along the way readers (and the recruits) learn all about groundhogs, meet some famous groundhogs (like Punxsutawney Phil), discover how other plants and animals (humans, too) can help us predict the weather, and learn about the seasons. All the student groundhogs pass their final exams and head off to their new posts to hibernate, awakening on February 2 so they can look for their shadows and send in their findings to headquarters. When Professor Groundhog makes his forecast that day, he's able to use their reports to predict 6 more weeks of winter, which, for at least one viewer, seems wildly inaccurate, "...it's really, really hard to predict the weather." Funny, informative, and cute, this picture book could be used as a jumping off place to introduce readers to weather, groundhog day, and spring. A bit too long and busy for group storytimes, but it would be fun to share individually, or for those reading on their own, or to pass around (if you have longer attention spans and more time to work with).
January 21, 2018
A fun book to share for learning about the holiday of Groundhog Day. The idea of gathering candidates to be properly trained was fun. The amount of detail to learn was fascinating and would make this a good book to revisit each year, each time adding and reviewing what information is important to predicting the weather. It is also interesting how widespread the celebration of Groundhog Day is with different groundhog personalities being used in different parts of the country. Lots of fun, beautiful illustrations.
February 10, 2018
"Have you got what it takes to be a weather forecaster? Take this quiz and check all that apply:
... If you checked all six boxes, you are invited to attend Groundhog Weather School."
Through skits, research reports and class lectures, the groundhogs at weather school inform the reader about weather issues, the specifics of seasons and shadows, and the characteristics and habits of rodents, including all the famous ones that predict the weather.
Such a cute combination of fiction and nonfiction.
... If you checked all six boxes, you are invited to attend Groundhog Weather School."
Through skits, research reports and class lectures, the groundhogs at weather school inform the reader about weather issues, the specifics of seasons and shadows, and the characteristics and habits of rodents, including all the famous ones that predict the weather.
Such a cute combination of fiction and nonfiction.
February 17, 2018
This is an excellent book for children that not only tells them fun facts about groundhogs, but about the weather in general. It is very engaging and has a lot of humor in it for the adults too. There is a lot of info in this picture book, so I did not read it in one sitting. Parents may want to break it up over a few days. Highly recommended.
June 8, 2018
This book is for early elementary school students. I could see it being used in a classroom as it touches history, science and current events. A long book to read aloud, but the pictures are fun, and the groundhogs are fun characters. This isn't a book to read over and over, but it is one to pull out in February as a good learning opportunity.
February 9, 2019
Out of all of the books I have read, this has not been my favorite. I think it is very confusing for children. There is stuff all over the pages and I feel like they don't know where to look or where to start. It does explain about what Groundhog Day is for children who do not know so that was good. There was just alot going on, on every page and that could get confusing.
March 2, 2021
This is a silly text with lots of information about weather and groundhog day. I would read this as read aloud to 2-4 grade. The text presents more like a graphic novel, many different text types present throughout the books (such as newspaper clippings, school reports, and letters). A very good mentor text that I could see engaging students and inspiring their own investigations.
April 3, 2022
This book provides information about groundhogs and the holiday in a fun way by presenting it as "school" for potential weather predictors. This is a good book to sit and read with your child as opposed to reading at story time or in a class setting.
February 12, 2023
Sure it's educational, light on plot and characters. But it's awfully fun nonetheless, and even this senior learned a few things. My favorite image was the chart of predators that groundhogs have to watch out for, like coyote, hawk... and human!
January 25, 2024
This one was a bit disjointed as a read-aloud, due to all of the speech bubbles scattered all over the pages. However, there was a lot of good information about both groundhogs and meteorology, and my kids got a kick out of the skunk who sneaked in as a “foreign exchange student.”
January 18, 2018
I loved all the information in this book. my favorite Joan Holub picture book so far
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews