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THE WEATHER MACHINE 2013 A Wordless book by Donovan Bixley
Once upon a time, in a world not so different to ours, a little blue man decides to create a machine to control the weather. It all goes terribly wrong! With humour, subtlety and a sense of adventure, Donovan Bixley’s engaging illustrations capture both the hopefulness and naivety of human industry in this wordless book.
REVIEWED BY FAERYSARAH@BLOGSPOT.CO.NZ This is a book for everyone. Younger children will love the colourful, fun illustrations of the strange but familiar world with its curious inhabitants. Older children and adults will grasp the more subtle meaning behind this environmental Frankenstein-like story about one man who wants to do good but creates a ‘monster’. The book is set out much like a comic, no real words or story to read - it is a true 'picture book'. The quirky illustrations remind me of both the crazy Dr Seuss drawings and the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and have had my (almost) 4 year old asking me so many questions. But not just about the themes and story and what is happening within the pictures, but right down to colours, expressions, plants and animals and parts of the machine. To me this is fantastic as Zoe has this growing obsession with art and colour and to see her not just glance at the pages but to analyse details within them is a great way to learn more about illustration and creativity. My kids love the weather and love the environment, especially pointing out the moon, or feeling the rain or wind. Zoe recently learned about the solar system during Matariki and has so many questions about the earth and the sun and stars. So The Weather Machine for us, is not just a fun picture book for bedtime, it has been an exploration and a chance to teach and learn so many things. I highly recommend it for both young and old.
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