Small, Sparkling Raindrop (a Fact-filled Picture Book About The Water Cycle With A Large Fold-out (ages 4-8))

By (author) Auld Mary; Illustrated by Baker Smith, Lou; Consultant editor Souter, Nicholas, Dr.
Short description/annotation:

Start Small, Think Big is a primary science picture book series with a big fold-out map that takes young readers from the small and familiar to new areas of knowledge where they have to think big! Small, Sparkling Raindrop is about the water cycle, showing why clean, healthy rivers are vital for people and wildlife.

Description:

Unfold a world of discovery with this fascinating, science-packed story with a giant fold-out.

Small Sparkling Raindrop tells the never-ending story of a raindrop as it falls from a cloud, becomes part of a river system, from small mountain stream to the giant Mekong river in southeast Asia, before evaporating back into the clouds. When it returns to Earth again, it ends up in a glass of drinking water and a completely different journey is about to begin.

The text has two reading levels. The main story is written in the first person and is easy to read for beginners. The additional caption text is for confident readers, rich with information. The giant fold-out will delight and fascinate every child, with its illustrated water cycle, map of the world''s major rivers and the I-Spy game taking them back into the book to find the Asian animals.

For educators, the story touches on many primary science topics, such as the weather, evaporation and the power of water and rivers. It also lays the foundation for topics around the Earth''s freshwater resources, the threat of water scarcity, the need for river dams for renewable energy, and the threats to the animals and people living downstream. A brilliant addition to any home or school library with lots of detail that will be returned to again and again.   This is Book 5 in the Start Small, Think Big series of science-based picture books, each focusing on a different life cycle, habitat and region of the world, with online activity sheets to support children''s learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Ideal for 5 to 8 year olds and perfect for any home or school library.

Printed on FSC paper from sustainable forests.

Biographical note:

Mary Auld is an award-winning writer of children''s information books, most notably How To Build an Orchestra with the London Symphony Orchestra. Mary Auld is a pen name for Rachel Cooke, former Editorial Director at Hachette and an honorary fellow of the English Association in recognition of her work in children''s non-fiction. She lives in Nottinghamshire, UK.

Lou Baker Smith is a versatile and established British illustrator and designer who has worked for many major brands, publishers, and co-founded a greeting card company. She started out as a food illustrator for cookery columns in Country Living and Good Housekeeping, moving on to illustrate menus and brochures for British Airways and Selfridges, and packaging for Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Whittards of Chelsea. She has now added children''s non-fiction books to her portfolio, including Protecting the Planet: The Ice Journey of the Polar Bear (Walker Books) and Around the World in 80 Buildings (Welbeck). She lives in Bath.

Dr Nicholas Souter from Conservation International, is an ecologist with over two decades of experience in conservation and natural resource management. Nick is currently leading a project working with fishing communities in Cambodia to improve their livelihoods and conserve their unique natural resources as well as examining freshwater health in the Sesan, Srepok and Sekong River Basin.

Primary cover copy:
 

This story starts with a small, sparkling raindrop falling from a cloud. It has fallen to Earth man