The Tornado Watches (Ike and Mem Story) [Hardcover]

Patrick Jennings (Author), Anna Alter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Ike and Mem Story

A tired Ike stays up all night for four nights to warn his family of any approaching tornadoes.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-Ike and his family spend an evening in their basement during a tornado alert. When it is lifted, he fears that another warning will occur in the night, so he secretly watches the weather reports on a portable TV beneath his covers. The next day, Ike falls asleep at school. He feels worse after he stays up a second night, and he falls asleep during his third watch. He wakes in the middle of the night on a cot in the basement and his mother explains that the storm woke them and that she and his father carried him and his sister downstairs. A tornado damages their neighbors' home and yard so the friends move in with Ike's family while repairs are made. Jennings understands the worries of childhood and he portrays Ike as a caring, responsible boy. The text and pacing of this brief novel are ideal for beginning readers who are ready to tackle a longer chapter book with a slightly more complex plot. Alter's black-and-white illustrations provide necessary breaks.
Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-5. Ike lives where tornadoes are common, and one night a tornado warning causes the family to take shelter in the basement. When the warning is lifted, Ike worries they will miss the next alert, and so he secretly moves a TV into his bedroom and keeps it on all night. He falls asleep in class the next day--and the next--until his parents and teacher think he's sick. Finally, he wakes up one night to discover that he's in the basement--his parents heard the warning sirens and carried him and his sister to safety in their basement shelter. Their neighbors have their roof blown off, and there is some detail about roofers, loss of power, and how to cope during and after this kind of emergency. It's all done in simple language, and early readers should find the story, as well the pencil illustrations, comforting. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823416720
• ISBN-13: 978-0823416721
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,529,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As a kid Patrick Jennings was afraid of African black mambas and tigers. He grew up in Northwestern Indiana.

He got his first pair of glasses when he was eight, and always wished he had a nickname like his friend, Mike. Mike was called "Tiger" by everyone, even the teachers. Wow.

Patrick Jennings may be called "Tiger," if you wish, or "Tigersnack." Both names are hidden inside his name. (As is "Rat" and "Ratpick," but he's not as fond of those and discourages their use. "Jetpack" is fine.)

Before he became a professional writer, in 1995, Tigersnack was a paperboy, a busboy, a fry cook, a hoddy, a record store clerk, a courier, a teacher, and a librarian. He has since published sixteen books for young readers. Can you find them somewhere on this site?

Jetpack's books have featured such creatures as electric dogs, rocket cats, grebes, coots, kangaroo rats, werewolves, scorpions, horses grown from seed, teenagers, gopher snakes, guinea dogs, and a lucky (or perhaps unlucky) sixth grader. Stinking Carp (he doesn't like this one) is currently working on books about a bat, a rat, alien dognappers, an owl in a suit, and, naturally, a tiger.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Spot-on understanding of kidthink, December 17, 2007

By 

Martha Freeman "Mom/Writer/Teacher" (state college, pa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Tornado Watches (Ike and Mem Story) (Hardcover)

I'm sure the meteorologist who wrote the other review is absolutely right about safety procedures, BUT as a work of literature, this book is just so wonderful -- it really deserves a wide audience. Jennings has an uncanny understanding, or perhaps memory, of the way children feel and think. Without being a bit condescending, he puts the reader right there in the minds of Ike and Mem. Children will relate to their fear, their support for one another, and ultimately to their reassurance. And did I mention the book is also gently humorous? Very highly recommended!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Promotes Incorrect Safety Procedures, May 2, 2006

By 

weatherwatcher (Norman, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tornado Watches (Ike and Mem Story) (Hardcover)

The story is nice. However, on page 11 you will find the following text, "At seven o'clock the watch became a warning. Ike's mother opened all the windows in the house."

In the 50's and 60's this was a recommended procedure because they incorrectly believed that the difference in pressure inside and outside of the house would cause the house to explode when hit by a tornado.

Please let your children know they should not go near windows or glass doors during a severe storm or approaching tornado. They risk being injured by flying debris entering the house through the glass or being cut if the glass is broken.