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CLIMATE by Darcy Pattison

CLIMATE

How Wladimir Köppen Studied Weather and Drew the First Climate Map

by Darcy Pattison ; illustrated by Peter Willis

ISBN: 9781629443058
Publisher: Mims House

A nonfiction children’s book focuses on a meteorology pioneer.

In this 10th installment of a science series, Pattison tells the story of Wladimir Köppen, a German Russian geographer and meteorologist who created the world’s first climate map. The illustrated book opens in 1859, when 13-year-old Köppen traveled by train with his family from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Crimea. During the journey, Köppen looked out the window, noticing the landscape changes. St. Petersburg had rainy weather, pine trees, and swamps; Moscow featured forests filled with birch, willow, and larch trees; and Crimea boasted oaks, pines, and firs. Köppen was curious about these differences. After graduating from college, he became a weatherman in Hamburg, Germany. He traveled extensively, setting up weather stations with thermometers, anemometers, and rain gauges; then, he gathered data via telegraph and made a daily weather map. Over time, weather patterns emerged. While other countries collected similar data to create maps, there was no information on the Atlantic Ocean, so Köppen worked with sailors to gather that material. He published atlases of the Indian Ocean (1891) and the Pacific (1896) and a book titled Climate Science(1899). His next project involved creating a kite station to measure upper atmospheric data. Eventually, all his work came together in the Köppen-Geiger climate map, which defined the world’s five major climate categories: tropical, arid, temperate, continental, and polar. Pattison effectively conveys Köppen’s curiosity, determination, and enthusiasm in this story by incorporating captivating details about his personality and habits. For example, Köppen was a night owl who often toiled by candlelight. His motto “Without hurry, without rest” guided his approach to work. The descriptions of nature are vibrant: “The sky swirled with the bright colors of children’s kites dancing in the wind.” But the book’s complex subject matter and specialized terminology may be challenging for the young readers drawn to the tale’s picture-book format. Still, Willis’ artwork beautifully captures the striking Russian forests; the cold, damp atmosphere of the North Sea coast; and the blustery autumn in Hamburg.

A visually evocative and mentally stimulating introduction to a climatologist.