50 Climate Questions, written by Peter Christie and illustrated by Ross Kinnaird. Annick Press, 2012. $14.99 ages 10 and up

"If you can't stand the heat - the old saying goes - get out of the kitchen. For humans, too much heat or too little, too much rain or not enough have often been good reasons to pack up and move...Sometimes climate changes didn't kick us out as much as they chased us out."

The past few weeks in Manitoba have definitely taxed my patience with weather, particularly curse-inspiring, feels-like-a-sauna heat mixed with high humidity. It has been enough to make me a hermit, staying inside with the Olympics to keep me company and the air conditioner to keep me cool. Ahh! I'm not complaining!

This entertaining and factual book is filled with passages about climate change throughout history, and always focused on its effects on the earth and its people. Numerous questions are asked and answered; the text is informative while not overwhelming its target audience. It is an addition to the series of books from Annick that also include 50 questions about fire, underwear and poisons. Just one, that's all an interested child needs and they will be off to get their hands on the others.

Each one is set up the same way...and that is a useful way to do things if you want to keep kids interested in them. Broken into chapters that use questioning to get to the heart of the subject, the author uses humor to grab attention and keep his readers reading. Well-organized to have the greatest impact, it is accessible and provides much information. Explanations are given along the way, and a useful index takes interested learners back to its most intriguing pages.

As with any book that does not want to be too onerous, not all concerns of global warming are included. There is, however, a further reading section that may encourage research. Quick facts are included. The author uses humor to appeal, while the illustrator creates cartoon-like funny drawings to add to the allure of this appealing book of nonfiction.