Storms

Written by: Seymour Simon

Published by: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1989.

ISBN 0-8335-9548-2

Plot Summary:

Storms begins with an introduction to the atmosphere and then discusses thunderstorms, hail storms, tornados, and hurricanes. Included in the descriptions of the storms are the causes, dangers, safety concerns, and aftermath of the variety of storms.

Critical Analysis:

Seymour Simon is well known for writing nonfiction children’s books. He has written many different books concerning the weather including Tornados, Lightning, and Weather. Although there isn’t a bibliography or source list in this book, Seymour Simon has a high reputation in the field of weather and many other nonfiction topics. The book, of course, includes many facts, and also some assumptions and theories. In these cases, the facts are clearly differentiated from the theories. The pages of this book contain many surprising and often frightening facts about storms. Did you know that one thunderstorm has the potential drop 125 million gallons of water in only twenty minutes? Readers will also learn that most tornados last less than fifteen minutes. Storms is well organized beginning with information about the atmosphere and then covering each type of storm including thunderstorms, hail storms, tornados, and hurricanes. The book does not have a table of contents or chapters, so it would work best by being read cover-to-cover. The book is designed wonderfully with full-page photographs attained from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The photographs are stunning, threatening, and, at times, scary. Storms is written in a style that would best suit the younger elementary grades. The pages contain short but well structured paragraphs. The writing is clear, simple, and intriguing.

Awards and Reviews:

Best Books-Children’s Catalog, Eighteenth Edition (2001)

School Library Journal: Grade 4-6-- Simon uses the same handsome format that he used to introduce the planets to explain storms here on earth. In a simple and direct way he explains the mechanisms that cause thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes to form their tremendous destructive power. The amazing color photos are well chosen and range from an excellent four-panel display of a tornado's progress to full-page photos of storm clouds, lightening strikes, and so on. The type is large and clear, and the information is sufficient for basic reports. While there is no new information here, this beautiful science book from a reliable and prolific author should certainly be considered to augment existing weather collections or to begin a new collection.

Connections:

Use this book as an introduction to stormy weather. Split a class or group into four groups (thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, and hail storms). Have each group research their assigned type of storm and present their findings in an interesting way.

Wait for a thunderstorm and learn how to use math and counting to track the distance of a thunderstorm from your library.

Related Titles:

Carson, Mary Kay. Inside Hurricanes. New York: Sterling, 2010.

Fowler, Allan. When a Storm Comes Up. Chicago: Children’s Press, 1995.

Gibbons, Gail. Hurricanes! New York: Holiday House, 2009.

Higgins, Nadia. It’s a Tornado! Edina: Magic Wagon, 2010.

Hiscock, Bruce. The Big Storm. New York: Atheneum, 1993.

Osborne, Will. Twisters and Other Terrible Storms. New York: Random House, 2003.

Rudolph, Jessica. Erased By a Tornado! New York: Bearport Publishing, 2010.

Stiefel, Chana. Thunderstorms. New York: Children’s Press, 2009.