What Are Floods? by Mari Schuh Book Review

My daughter came home from school raving about a book about floods she read during library time. She's been super interested in weather lately, especially after a big thunderstorm we had, so she was excited to tell me all about how floods happen. Apparently, this book explained it in a way even she could understand, and she's six! It also talked about what people do when a flood happens, like evacuating and staying safe. That seemed to make her feel a little better, I think, because she sometimes gets anxious during storms.

Books that earned their keep

We read it together last night, and it was definitely a hit. The pictures were great, really clear and not scary at all, which is important for her age. The writing is simple and straightforward, which meant she could actually read most of it herself. There were a few words I had to help her with, but overall, it was easy for her to follow. She especially liked seeing pictures of houses with sandbags and asked a bunch of questions about why they used them. It was just the right length too. We finished it in about 10 minutes, which is perfect for her attention span before bedtime. No yawning or requests to stop!

For those who track AR levels, it's a 1.0 with 0.5 points. So, it's definitely geared towards the younger crowd, like kindergarten through second grade, I'd say. The word count is only 117, which explains why it was such a quick read, but it packs a lot of information into those few words.

What happened next

If your kid is curious about weather or natural disasters but you want something gentle and easy to understand, this is a great choice. It explains floods without being overwhelming or frightening. It’s also a good pick if your kid is just learning to read and needs something they can tackle independently. But if your child prefers more complex explanations or is already well-versed in weather phenomena, this one might be too basic for them.