Hurricanes!

Hurricanes are serious business, but Gibbons uses a picture-book format to detail their destructive powers without the information ever becoming too frightening. It's a smart idea while there are plenty of books featuring devastating photos, they are likely to inspire dread among young readers. Gentle watercolors are Gibbons' main weapons here, and the painted panoramas of trees whipping, cars upending, and the encroaching curls of blue and green surf are engagingly tumultuous. There are a few missteps, though: the opening explanation of the science behind hurricanes is too complicated and not aided by the squiggly-lined diagrams. The organization is also spotty; information on hurricane forecasting seems needlessly split into different sections. But Gibbons finds her groove with a series of spreads describing each category of hurricane; for example, the right-hand page shows the ferment of the storm in progress, along with info on wind speed and storm surges, while the left-hand page depicts the aftermath. Famous hurricanes, from Andrew to Katrina, are among the multitude of other topics broached in this intriguing introduction.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2009 Booklist

Gr 2-4-Foreboding music accompanies the video version of Gail Gibbons's picture book. Swirling red arrows illustrate how warm air is sucked up from the Atlantic Ocean, creating an updraft that circulates, intensifies, and becomes a tremendous storm, with wind speeds ranging from 74 to 155 miles per hour. The video provides details on the five categories of hurricanes as measured on the Saffir-Simpson scale of wind speed. Compelling facts about how hurricanes are named, the motion of the storm (counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south), and the largest U.S. hurricanes are highlighted. The text explains how predictions and information are gathered from satellites and airplanes and used to make computer models. Tips on what to do if a hurricane is imminent and helpful websites are included. Gibbons's colorful illustrations humanize the material, showing people dealing with all aspects of these storms, from predicting to cleanup. Pouring rain and roiling waves offer animation, and sounds of the storm supply tension. Narrator Chris Lutkin's expressive delivery dramatizes the text. VERDICT For young weather enthusiasts and students studying weather and climate.-Constance Dickerson, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.