Paula J. Becker – illustratör

More wild and wacky weather is in the forecast in the latest installment of this STEAM-centered series.

Zeke and his friends have “spring fever” and are excited about the temperature rising, but Zeke’s Mood Meter starts to wobble when he notices cracks in the river ice. If the ice melts too quickly, it could turn into a flood! When Zeke’s favorite meteorologist, Freeze Jones, invites him to join his crew of Weather Watchers, Zeke hopes that will give him the inside scoop on the flood watch. Meanwhile, everyone at school is too focused on the spring play to worry about the potential spring flood. Can Zeke keep his teacher happy while still being an ace Weather Watcher?

This is the second book in an early chapter book series starring the lovable Zeke and a diverse cast of his friends and schoolmates. Page-turning adventure is paired with loads of information on the science of weather, both within the story and in informational spreads tucked between chapters. Topics covered include the spring weather cycle, wind jet streams, types of floods, ice jams, flood safety and climate change’s influence on flooding. There’s also a glossary of weather words and instructions for building a rain gauge at the back of the book. Playful illustrations add humor to the story and help explain the scientific concepts. This is a terrific resource for Earth science classes.