Mike Wilks: The Weather Works

Here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a guided tour of the Weather Works, a unique sprawling factory where the weather is made. Open this enchanting volume and wander through Mike Wilks’s atmospheric wonderland. Visit chamber after chamber, each filled with fascinating machinery dutifully churning out the weather in all its variations. Skate through the ice and sleet compartment, and sweat through the burning-hot halls where liquid sunshine bubbles in vats. Marvel at the revolutionary wonders being wrought in Research, and bask in the radiant colors of Rainbow Hall. Notice how the guide grows visibly older and more harried as the tour progresses, and keep a sharp eye on the mysterious pet, who seems intent on wreaking havoc! Charming and challenging, The Weather Works is a metaphorical epic of finely interwoven art and verse, destined to earn a place as a classic illustrated work for readers of all ages.

Mike Wilks

The art of Mike Wilks (British, b. 1947) is characterized by intensely realistic (sometimes surrealistic) detail—think art appreciation and a game of discovery, all in one. Wilks began his artistic career at 13 when he won a scholarship to art school. He ran a successful graphic design business for five years before he sold it and began writing and illustrating books in 1975. He rocketed to fame following publication of The Ultimate Alphabet in 1986; the puzzle book was a global bestseller. Each image contains dozens, if not hundreds, of items, all beginning with the same letter of the alphabet. After eight illustrated books, he established himself as a novelist with The Mirrorscape Trilogy, a fantasy adventure series. Wilks, who was the subject of an award-winning British documentary, lives in London. His drawings and paintings now reside in museums, galleries, and private collections around the world.