Minnesota Historical Society Press, $16.95
Did you know that flowers, insects and birds can help predict the weather? Near her lighthouse home on Lake Superior, young Sophie is attuned to her natural surroundings, helping her to predict the weather. She reads signs in a dandelion bloom, a spider’s web, seagulls in flight, and even a squeaky door. All these clues lead her to one conclusion and she sounds a warning, “Storm’s coming!” This playful, fun children’s book depicts a time when lighthouse keepers and their families relied on the world of nature for their weather forecast.—Breana Roy