Wind Atlas

Wind Atlas written by Sarah Zambello and illustrated by Susy Zanella (Thames & Hudson) ISBN 9781760764517 RRP $34.99 (HB)

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

This beautifully crafted book does much more than answer all the questions you may have about the wind: what causes it, where it comes from, how it’s measured, the role of air pressure and temperature, the differences between sea breezes and land breezes and between tornadoes and cyclones. While it does all of this, Zambello has also cleverly woven poetry, history and literary references throughout the book, giving it the warmth and appeal of a narrative rather than an information-only text. The beautiful, hand-drawn illustrations coloured in soft, earthy tones which appear on every page add to the effect, making it as visually appealing as a picture book.

The quote from P.L. Travis’s Mary Poppins on the inside cover sets the reader up for what is to follow. Along with delivering interesting information, Zambello intersperses this with snippets of how wind has featured in classic art and literature, for example in Greek myths, the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson, novels (Wuthering Heights), children’s stories (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), David Wurtzel’s art installation, and the movie Twister. She has also included brief biographies of pioneers in the field of meteorology such as Francis Beaufort and Ted Fujita.

Another thing that makes this book engaging is Zambello’s inclusion of accounts of real events from all around the world, including Cyclone Tracy which struck Darwin in 1974, and the Mistral - a wind that impacts the Rhone Valley in France.

The reading age for this book would be a proficient nine-year-old, however, the content makes it equally relevant for much older children, up to around thirteen years. While it is not didactic in tone, it would be an excellent classroom resource for students investigating the weather, in particular facts about wind. I see it as having double value - as an interesting scientific text, as well as an enjoyable and rich reading experience.