This book has a special place in my heart. One of my top pics of all time.

Wilson Bentley was a farm boy in Vermont who, with his microscope, found snowflakes so beautiful, like miracles from heaven. Studied with his mother until fourteen, he only attended school for a few years. Yet, he had shown keen interest in science from early age. Through years of collecting data, he discovered that most snow crystals had six points, and that no one design was ever repeated. To share these miracles, he was determined to capture the images of snowflakes in photographs. After many failed attempts, he finally succeeded and was able to share the stunning images of crystals with people around him.

This is a quiet but powerful book. His simple desire to share the beauty of snowflakes, not for fame or for profit, is touching. And his parents buying their son a camera with all of their savings speaks of their deep love for him. In those days in Vermont, Bentley was considered odd and largely misunderstood. Snow was in abundance so nobody gave much thought of it. Though his work was later recognized in colleges and universities, Bentley never made much money or became famous. His pure and simple passion for snowflakes had never faded till his last days.

The book won the 1999 Caldecott Medal.

Interested? You can find it here.

Bentley’s published work, Snowflakes in Photographs, is also a great book with stunning pictures even today.