From School Library Journal
Grade 3–5—An updated edition of Simon's 2003 title, this book presents a definition and etymology of the term, descriptions of tropical storms, the names of significant disasters, the formation and behavior of hurricanes, and the resulting storm surges. A passage on the Saffir-Simpson scale presents accounts and photos of the damage of the five categories. A closing section deals with forecasting, warnings, and precautions. The changes since the original include the addition of the Australian term for hurricanes; the replacement of a passage on Hurricane Andrew (1992) with coverage of Katrina (2005), with Andrew replacing Opal (1995) as an example of a Category 4 hurricane; deletion of a passage warning that New Orleans is potentially in danger of a serious hurricane; two replacement photos; and new cover art featuring the Smithsonian logo. This is a typical Simon effort, with readable text and excellent photos.—
Jeffrey A. French, formerly at Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Booklist
Gr. 3-4. Pairing a simply phrased narrative with arresting, eye-catching color photos, Simon explains what hurricanes are and imparts a vivid sense of their destructive potential. After introducing hurricanes (and their lesser cousins, tropical storms and tropical depressions), he describes how the storms develop and are rated on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and supplies recent examples before closing with advice for readers who might find themselves in a hurricane's path. The uncaptioned illustrations include satellite photos, ground-level scenes of flooded streets, computer enhanced radar images, and shots of storm victims being rescued. The lack of an index or further resources may hamper assignment-driven children, but like most of Simon's other work, this is unsurpassed for kindling interest in a scientific subject and communicating an understanding of its scope and significance.
John PetersCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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