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A nephophile is a person who loves clouds, and this book will turn you into one. Writer and biologist Susan E. Clark has compiled a heap of knowledge into Clouds: A Guide for the Curious, a handy guidebook that’s beautifully illustrated by Siena Zadro and Katherine Zhang. Clark provides scientific background with a light, curious tone, citing historical details and meteorological data while also marveling at the poetry of the sky. Every concept is paired with an illustration that not only clarifies the science but also adds a layer of imagination, echoing the book’s gentle urging to go outside, look up and daydream. The second section is devoted to different types of clouds—and there are more than you might expect. The wispy altostratus cloud, for example, may look dull during the day, but at sunrise or sunset it can “light up with a spectacle of gold, red and purple and is so inspiring you will want to capture and keep a memory of it forever.” Mighty cumulonimbus clouds, on the other hand, are dense and dramatic—“the superstar of all the clouds,” writes Clark. Pilots are forbidden from flying through them, as “the updraughts that form inside a supercell can be the equivalent of a weak hurricane.” Speaking of flying, this would be a great book to take with you on a plane, when the vistas from a window seat give you panoramic views of the sky. And at just over 6 inches tall, it’s small enough to stow in your carry-on.