I am Wind: An autobiography
Illustrated by Rachel Wada
Published by Tundra Books, 2024
In this beautifully illustrated mock-autobiography for middle-grade readers, Wind speaks directly to the reader, telling fascinating stories that show their cultural, historical and technical importance to humans.
Make no mistake: Wind is not shy or humble. Wind is violent, impulsive, arrogant and unpredictable — now playing with a kite, then tearing down a forest.
With the help of diagrams and fact-filled sidebars, Wind explains what causes the air to move, describes their favorite forms (katabatics, hurricanes, tornadoes) and shows how they influence the landscape (sand dunes, wind power). Readers will come to know the full breadth of Wind’s physical, historical and psychological presence. Moving seamlessly between science, history and myth, this book is an engrossing and unique look at an elemental force.
Reviews
Juxtaposing a poetic narration of wind telling its own ‘life story’ with myths, folk traditions, historical vignettes, and the solid science behind wind’s power and mystery, this book expresses an artistic and literary aesthetic not often seen in science texts for younger scholars.” —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
“Storm-swept illustrations carry a full bag of facts, myths, legends, and original poems about our planet’s winds. Poliquin’s free verse expressions alternate with short but clear explanations in prose and Wada’s vivid, sometimes schematic depictions of types and causes of storms, from destructive katabatic winds to hurricanes and tornados.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The lengthy work underscores how humans have used the wind’s movements to explore and sail, to harness power via windmills, and, more recently, to generate electricity. Wada uses rhythmically stroked, digitally finished visuals to convey the subject’s movement, ranging from scenes in which a child’s hair ribbon is tossed by the breeze to those of destruction wrought by tornadoes and hurricanes.” —Publishers Weekly