W. A. Bentley (1865–1931)

In this lovely picture-book biography of Wilson Bentley, a Vermont farmer who dedicated his life to documenting the beauty and diversity of the snowflake in his photography, author Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrator Mary Azarian have created a textually engaging and visually arresting work. Opening in the mid-19th century, when Bentley was a young boy who loved the snow, the narrative follows him through the years, as his desire to share his passion with others leads him to adopt and show more adapt the practice of micro-photography in order to capture the crystalline beauty of the snowflake. Of immense value to both scientists and artists, Bentley's work reached its fruition in 1931, when he published a monograph entitled Snow Crystals, which contained 2500 of his photographs.

It's not difficult to see why Snowflake Bentley was the Caldecott Medal winner in 1999, as Mary Azarian's woodblock illustrations, colored in with watercolor, are absolutely beautiful, perfectly capturing the rural charm of Wilson Bentley's world, and the appeal of the snowflakes he adored. I particularly like the two-page spreads featuring cool blue panels on the sides, with snowflakes falling, as these contrast nicely with the warmer hues in the central panels. The story itself is interesting, highlighting the life of a simple, self-educated man who followed his passion, and thereby increased the store of knowledge and scientific understanding available to others. Recommended to anyone who loves winter, snow, and snowy vistas, as well as to anyone looking for engaging picture-book biographies. show less

I loved reading this book for three reasons. First, I enjoyed how on each page there was a side bar that had actual facts about Wilson Bentley. Each side bar connected to the story that was being told about his life and what it took to capture the perfect evidence of a snowflake that he could share with everyone. I liked how the side bar was decorated with snowflakes which corresponded well with the whole theme of the book. These facts on the side made the story personal. Wilson believed show more that, “snowflakes were masterpieces of design…No one design was repeated. When a snowflake melted…just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.” This is why he worked so hard to capture images of snowflakes. Second, the illustrations were beautifully made and corresponded well with the written text. Throughout the book the illustrator would use bright colors to express that it is nice and sunny out and then dark colors when he was representing the snowy days. Third, I liked how at the end of the book it talked about his accomplishments and how he died. It also explained how there is a monument to recognize Wilson. The last sentence of the book was a perfect ending to sum up his accomplishments. “Neighbors and strangers have come to know of the icy wonders that land on their own mittens—thanks to Snowflake Bentley.” On the final page it has a real picture of Bentley and a quote from him. The main message of this book is to teach kids to never give up on something they want even if there are people who may doubt you. show less

This is a beautiful example of the way books come together with text and illustrations complementing one another perfectly. Snowflake Bentley is a biography of William Bentley, a man who loved snowflakes and figured out how to photograph them. Mary Azarian’s woodcuts add to the feel of the book and are perfect for the wintry Vermont setting. The image of Bentley walking through a blizzard is particularly moving.

In addition to illustrations and the traditional narrative, this book also has show more the interesting design feature of sidebars, in which facts are presented connected to, but outside of, the narrative flow. This allows the author to add more details without having to interrupt the story. It also provided the opportunity to create a side border on each page filled with snowflakes.

I would want preservice teachers to consider this book from a number of perspectives. First I would want them to consider it as a picture book. What are the qualities that make it successful, or not? Do they think children would respond to it? How do they see the story (including setting) and the illustrations work together?

I also think this book is a good one to think about biographies for children. This tells the story of a person but it does so focusing on one important aspect of his life, instead of trying to tell every detail. I think this could help preservice teachers think about how this idea can transfer to a memoir unit where children are writing about their own lives.

Finally, I would invite my audience of preservice teachers to think about how this book might fit into a discussion about people who may seem different. Martin notes that many people in Bentley’s town laughed at him and saw what he was doing as pointless. I got the sense that he was an unusual person. Could this help kids think about difference in a more appreciative way?

I also think the artwork in this book is worth its very own conversation, both with preservice teachers and with kids. It is integral in giving the story a certain feel and in telling the story, but many of the pictures can also stand on their own as works of art separate from the text. I think of discussions focused on art and how this book would fit in. show less

Snowflake Bentley is a picture book biography about Wilson Bentley, who loved snowflakes, but could not capture their beauty or convince people that they were all unique until his parents purchased him a special camera as a young man. People often misunderstood him and thought that he was strange, but nothing deterred him from his love of and natural curiosity about snowflakes. Mary Azarian's wood-cut illustrations beautifully portray the text outlining Bentley's life and love of nature.

In show more the classroom, this book would be great for the winter months, especially in a science lesson/unit about snow. Maybe students could even inspect or photograph snowflakes for themselves. This book would also demonstrate the value of all kinds of different interests and people. show less