Snowflake Bentley

By Jacqueline Briggs Martin , Mary Azarian (illustrator) ,

Book cover of Snowflake Bentley

Book description

From the time he was a small boy, Wilson Bentley saw snowflakes as small miracles. And he determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal. Bentley's enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

3 authors picked Snowflake Bentley as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

My memories of childhood are of white winters and deep snowfalls. Like anyone in a perfect snowstorm, I have often looked at the flakes on the shoulders and sleeves of my coat and wished I could preserve that perfect crystal. I also wondered if the saying was true—that no two snowflakes are alike—and how anyone could possibly know.

I had no idea as a child that a Vermont farmer, Wilson Bentley, studied and photographed snowflakes for years, leading to discoveries about these six-sided, fleeting jewels. In Snowflake Bentley (another Caldecott recipient), Jacqueline Martin introduces us to a time “In the…

From Caralyn's list on snow and snowmen.

This beautiful picture book showcases the life of the man who invented a way to photograph snowflakes and revealed that no two are alike. William Bentley, the boy who loved snow more than anything else in the world, spent hours in the cold studying ice crystals. Even when they constantly melted, he didn’t quit until he managed to photograph them! His images of stunning, intricate, unique snowflakes are a testament to the wonder of nature and perseverance.

From Natascha's list on inventors.

This Caldecott winner tells the story of Wilson Alwyn Bentley, whose stunningly beautiful and accurate photographs of snowflakes and other water formations fostered much scientific research, not to mention a popular fascination with this exquisite aspect of natural history. The book’s elegant prose and colorful woodcut prints bring to life Bentley’s nineteenth-century Vermont farming community, from his childhood explorations of nature to the state-of-the-art microscope camera that cost his parents as much as their herd of cows, to the slide shows he presented to friends and neighbors featuring his marvelous photographs.

In reading Snowflake Bentley, I was struck by…

From Sigrid's list on inspirational scientists for children.

If you love Snowflake Bentley...

Ad

Book cover of The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revolution, and Social Change

The Beatles and the 1960s by Kenneth L. Campbell,

The Beatles are widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history and their career has been the subject of many biographies. Yet the band's historical significance has not received sustained academic treatment to date. In The Beatles and the 1960s, Kenneth L. Campbell uses The…

Want books like Snowflake Bentley?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 59 books like Snowflake Bentley.

Browse books like Snowflake Bentley

Book cover of The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver
Book cover of Mary Anning and The Sea Dragon
Book cover of Chattanooga Sludge

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

2,354

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like Snowflake Bentley, you might also like...

In This Together by Marianne E. Krasny,

Book cover of In This Together: Connecting with Your Community to Combat the Climate Crisis

In This Together explores how we can harness our social networks to make a real impact fighting the climate crisis. Against notions of the lone environmental crusader, Marianne E. Krasny shows us the power of "network climate action"—the idea that our own ordinary acts can influence and inspire those close…

Against the Seas by Mary Soderstrom,

Book cover of Against the Seas: Saving Civilizations from Rising Waters

The scenario we are facing is scary: within a few decades, sea levels around the world may well rise by a metre or more as glaciers and ice caps melt due to climate change. Large parts of our coastal cities will be flooded, the basic outline of our world will…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in photographers, snow, and romantic love?

Photographers 30 books
Snow 14 books
Romantic Love 971 books