Hurricane

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Author(s)
Age Range
4+
Release Date
May 06, 2025
ISBN
978-0823458493
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Caldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin charts the thrilling saga of an island community’s brush with a category three hurricane, and the cutting-edge science that helps them prepare.

It’s a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a hurricane is barreling across the Atlantic, and everyone is wondering when it will hit the U.S. coast. And where.

Night and day, meteorologists use satellites to monitor the storm. Brave pilots fly directly into the tempest, dodging lightning bolts to gather crucial data. Back on the island, families board up windows, drag furniture upstairs, and stock survival kits to prepare for what may come.

From its dramatic opening, Hurricane alternates between striking maps charting the hurricane’s progress and daily life on the island.

Hurricane is at once a fascinating view into a natural disaster and a reassuring survey of the tools we use to mitigate the damage. As climate change makes hurricanes ever more destructive, this engaging and rigorous book is perfect for classrooms, and for families making their own safety plans.

Jason Chin, winner of the Caldecott Medal for Watercress (written by Andrea Wang) and the Sibert Medal for Life After Whale (written by Lynn Brunelle) combines breathtaking artwork and clear, compelling text to make Hurricane a gripping read for all ages. At the end, find even more information about hurricanes, with visual aids for deeper understanding.

Editor review

1 review
All about hurricanes and human resilience
(Updated: June 22, 2026)
Overall rating
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Learning Value
 
5.0
A suspenseful and informative look into hurricanes, from the science behind the storms to how people have learned to prepare for and mitigate the aftermath. The thorough presentation conveys the importance of vigilance and timely action while also keeping a hopeful tone, which I much admired, as someone who has only observed hurricanes through the news.

The storm, and the story, begins many days before it makes landfall. We learn about both modern tracking technologies and the natural weather conditions which precipitate a storm, as well as the extensive response tactics from weather reporters, scientists flying into the heart of the storm, and ordinary people evacuating from their homes. The juxtaposition of lightning and roiling seas with mild winds on sunny beaches miles and miles away illustrates the power of nature. Yet, by normalizing the storm as a natural, if often destructive, event, this book also teaches how to respond to hurricanes and similar uncontrollable events with respect and reason instead of panic or fear.

Dramatic. Informative. Encouraging. Pick this up for the science and human resilience in the face of the unexpected.
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