Hurricane Watch

by Melissa Stewart

HarperCollins, 2015

for ages 6–9

ISBN 978–0‑06232–776‑5 (HC)

ISBN 978–0‑06232–775‑8 (PB)

Purchase this book at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.com.

Perfect for budding meteorologists, Hurricane Watch is bursting with fascinating facts paired with engaging visuals and diagrams. Read and find out how hurricanes form, how scientists track the storms, and what you can do to keep yourself safe if one strikes. Hurricane Watch offers a close-up look at a powerful natural disaster.

Honors and Awards

National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Book

Reviews

“This informational picture book offers a colorfully illustrated introduction to hurricanes. The lucid text explains the nature of these storms as well as when, where, and how they form. The expressive illustrations—watercolors with digitally added elements—offer views of hurricanes, scientists studying them, broadcasters explaining them, and people preparing for the high winds and heavy rains they bring. The pictures sometimes incorporate arrows, labels, and diagrams to clarify concepts such as cloud formation, the earth’s rotation, the Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane wind-speed categories, and the progressive weakening of a storm over land. Offering plenty of facts for kids intrigued by extreme weather as well as some practical advice and a couple of hands-on activities to try, this attractive book is the latest addition to the respected Let’s‑Read-and-Find-Out series.” (Booklist)

Behind the Book

“I’ve been a big fan of HarperCollins’s Let’s‑Read-and-Find-Out books for years, so I’m delighted to become an author for the venerable series.

“From the moment I received the assignment for this book, I knew I wanted to take readers on a journey through the stages of hurricane formation and give them a front row seat to what happens when the super storm hits land. Because I’ve never experienced a hurricane, I knew I’d need to interview people who had.

“How did I find those people? Twitter.

“Within minutes of posting a tweet, I had a half dozen responses from people who’d lived through hurricanes in Florida, Texas, and Hawaii. We exchanged email addresses and over the next week, I collected their stories, looking for sensory details and other tidbits that could help me bring these powerful storms to life for young readers.

“Ultimately, I didn’t have room for all the great details I collected, but the real-life drama still seems palpable to me in the final book.”

Series at a Glance

You’ll also enjoy …

Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science