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A review by lisavegan
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
5.0
I really enjoyed this picture book biography for school aged chidren.
I was so reminded of how I was fascinated with snow and snowflakes when I was a kid.
This is a biography of a man who was obsessed with snow from a young age and developed a technique of microphotography so he could capture pictures of individual snowflakes. His interest didn’t lag, even when he was scorned or dismissed for it.
I was emotionally touched by this story. I loved how his parents supported him by buying him the camera that he needed and how other scientists also supported his work. I was struck with his life long passion for nature, especially for snow, and how he lived his passion and was generous with his photographs.
The art really fit the book, although it’s in a style not my favorite. (Edit: After I read the book and realized that these were woodcuts I was impressed and also got more enjoyment from them.) The story was not told in a scintillating manner or style, but if the reader is already interested in the subject, it suffices. I was fascinated. I’m even considering reading [a:W. A. Bentley|199969|W.A. Bentley|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s book [b:Snow Crystals|994292|Snow Crystals (Dover Photography Collections)|W.A. Bentley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180062957s/994292.jpg|639481] and especially his book [b:Snowflakes in Photographs|348490|Snowflakes in Photographs|W.A. Bentley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173957600s/348490.jpg|338775].
What I was most hoping for was included: the final page contains a photo of Bentley with his camera and shows three of his snowflake photographs. I’d have liked to see even more, but I’m glad that at least three were included.
I was so reminded of how I was fascinated with snow and snowflakes when I was a kid.
This is a biography of a man who was obsessed with snow from a young age and developed a technique of microphotography so he could capture pictures of individual snowflakes. His interest didn’t lag, even when he was scorned or dismissed for it.
I was emotionally touched by this story. I loved how his parents supported him by buying him the camera that he needed and how other scientists also supported his work. I was struck with his life long passion for nature, especially for snow, and how he lived his passion and was generous with his photographs.
The art really fit the book, although it’s in a style not my favorite. (Edit: After I read the book and realized that these were woodcuts I was impressed and also got more enjoyment from them.) The story was not told in a scintillating manner or style, but if the reader is already interested in the subject, it suffices. I was fascinated. I’m even considering reading [a:W. A. Bentley|199969|W.A. Bentley|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s book [b:Snow Crystals|994292|Snow Crystals (Dover Photography Collections)|W.A. Bentley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180062957s/994292.jpg|639481] and especially his book [b:Snowflakes in Photographs|348490|Snowflakes in Photographs|W.A. Bentley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173957600s/348490.jpg|338775].
What I was most hoping for was included: the final page contains a photo of Bentley with his camera and shows three of his snowflake photographs. I’d have liked to see even more, but I’m glad that at least three were included.