I Am Wind: An Autobiography - Hardcover

by Rachel Poliquin (Author), Rachel Wada (Illustrator)

In this award-winning mock-autobiography for middle-grade readers, Wind tells fascinating stories that describe their cultural, historical and technical importance to humans.

Make no mistake: Wind is not shy or humble. Wind is violent, impulsive, arrogant and unpredictable -- now playing with a kite, then tearing down a forest.

With the help of diagrams and fact-filled sidebars, Wind explains what causes the air to move, describes their favorite forms (katabatics, hurricanes, tornadoes) and shows how they influence the landscape (sand dunes, wind power). Readers will come to know the full breadth of Wind's physical, historical and psychological presence. Moving seamlessly between science, history and myth, this book is an engrossing and unique look at an elemental force.

Author Biography

RACHEL POLIQUIN is a writer engaged in all things orderly and disorderly in the natural world. With a cross-disciplinary background in visual arts, cultural history and natural history, she holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of British Columbia and a Post-Doctoral Degree in History from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rachel is the author of the Polite Predators and Superpower Field Guide series, and other children's books including Beastly Puzzles. She has also written for Science Friday, The Believer Magazine, and the New York Times.

RACHEL WADA was born in Japan, grew up briefly in Hong Kong and China, and now lives and works in Vancouver, BC. She started drawing at a very young age, perhaps as a way of transcending the language barriers of the cities she grew up in. Rachel's cultural roots and upbringing continue to inspire her work to this day. She graduated with a B.F.A. in Illustration from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2016. Her children's book debut, The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden written by Heather Smith, was shortlisted for the Pacific Northwest Book Award. Rachel's work can also be found in newspapers, magazines and online publications.