Danny Dunn And The Weather Machine (1979) - Plot & Excerpts
Prepped the fourth volume of Danny Dunn adventures for e-book form. I think I read this one as a kid because I have vague memories of the cloud-seeding sequence.In this volume, meteorology is the focus as Danny accidentally discovers that Professor Bullfinch's Ionic Transmitter (IT for short) can cause miniature rainstorms - and this while the town of Midston is suffering a drought. Through various misadventures involving a local meteorologist (who the trio think is a split personality - but really he just has a grumpy twin), a big, friendly Saint Bernard named Vanderbilt and the usual interference from Snitcher Phillips, Danny and cohorts succeed in breaking the drought.Interesting bits in this one: Professor Bullfinch is away in Washington D.C. for almost the whole book and Dr. Grimes doesn't make an appearance at all (no Bullfinch and Grimes also means no celebratory wrap-up fiddle and piccolo jam-fest). Joe watches horror movies at night (including GRANSON OF THE WOLF MAN) - even though his parents don't let him, making Joe Pearson possibly the first literary appearance of a representative for the "Monster Kid" generation. Joe, because of said movies, floats the idea that the mood swings the kids experience from local meteorologist Mr. Elswing may be due to a split personality. “How do we know what he’ll be like next time? He might try to stab us with a weather vane, or something” says Irene, surprisingly. Danny's reckless nature actually earns him a reprimand of physical labor from Prof. Bullfinch at the end of the book (who really should be getting tired of having to tell him to think twice by this point). Mrs. Dunn's soup is ruined by a miniature raincloud. This was a slightly lack-luster installment, I felt, although seeing Snitcher take a mini-lightning bolt to the skull was kind cool and Williams obviously spent some time with a Saint Bernard because he perfectly captures their dopey, goodhearted natures (Vanderbilt has a bit of a crush on Irene). Next, it's time to take a trip to the ocean floor.....
What do You think about Danny Dunn And The Weather Machine (1979)?
