ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

Wells, who explored topics such as large numbers in Can You Count to a Googol (2000) and the measurement of time in How Do You Know What Time It Is? (2002), now tackles the water cycle, explaining that the earth's water has been constantly recycled not just since dinosaur days but for billions of years. The simple text asks good questions and offers clearly worded answers, enhanced by lively, colorful ink-and-watercolor illustrations. In the pictures, two children travel in a helicopter-like gizmo all around the world, observing streams, rivers, oceans, rain, snow, glaciers, a dam, and so on. Readers will also see illustrations of evaporation and underground aquifers. The text ends with a plea for water conservation. A playful but sound introduction to the water cycle.

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2004)

Eleven-year-old narrator Amalee doesn't have any close friends; her father has four, all of whom drive Amalee crazy. When her single-parent father becomes seriously ill, his friends save the day, taking turns watching over Amalee and her bedridden dad, and she learns some lessons about friendship and growing up. This uplifting story will grab young readers with its sympathetic portrayal of middle-school life.

Kirkus Reviews

An engaging trip through the water cycle will have youngsters asking themselves if a dinosaur really did drink their water first. Wells expertly addresses his young audience, using simple language and defining key terms. Along with a description of the water cycle, students will learn about water's three forms, and the fact that water is not new—its molecules have been around for billions of years, getting recycled and cleaned. Without water, the nutrients in the soil would not be dissolved, carried into plants and trees and made into food for people and animals. Wells's cartoon illustrations capture the essence of what is, by and large, an invisible process. A look at habitats and the many uses for water, including drinking, recreation and hydroelectric power, addresses the need for conservation and protection. A final page focuses on the many ways water is at work: carving mountains and valleys, generating power in steam-powered turbines and moderating the Earth's climate. Only a look at how and where we get the water we drink could have improved this title. An excellent resource for elementary students. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-This uniquely titled book introduces the water cycle. The information includes details about why plants and animals need water; the three states of water; how it moves through streams, rivers, and the ocean; and what happens to it after evaporation. How water is used on Earth and conservation issues are also discussed. The lack of chapters might hinder the use of this book for reports. The colorful, cartoon illustrations result in a comic-book look, and the hand-lettered text adds to this feeling. Many books have been written about the water cycle, and this one is similar in style to Joanna Cole's Magic School Bus: Wet All Over (Scholastic, 1996).-Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.