Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster
National Geographic Kids Book by Judy and Dennis Fradin
Jun 10, 2008
Hurricanes are high up there on the scary list. They can roar into an area like an angry lion and, after destroying countless homes and lives, leave a place eerily quiet.
Many children have seen the frightening images of the infamous Hurricane Katrina. Parents and educators have talked to them about this devastating tragedy, using the opportunity to teach science, compassion, civics, and government. Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster by Judy and Dennis Fradin (National Geographic, ISBN 978-1-4262-0111-0) is an incredible and heart-wrenching book about the science of hurricanes and how they affect our lives.
While written for children ages 8 to 11, Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster is so well written that it can be used for educating older children.
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster begins with a look at Hurricane Katrina and gives eyewitness accounts of the event. The photographs of the storm and the events that took place are terrifying.
The Science
Next, Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster teaches about the science of hurricanes. Learn how hurricanes start and how they are tracked. Children will learn about hurricane categories and the anatomy of a hurricane.
Hurricanes in History
There is no doubt that hurricanes can shape our history. In the third chapter, children will take a look at some of the most famous hurricanes in history. They’ll see how typhoons saved Japan from being conquered by Kublai Khan, how the frightening Galveston Hurricane of 1900 killed at least 7,200 people, and how the flooding during Hurricane Camille as it struck Mississippi in 1969 caused unimaginable destruction. Kids will also learn that hurricanes don’t always strike just the southern part of the United States. In September of 1938, a hurricane missed Florida and struck the Northeast, causing death and destruction.
On Being Safe
While hurricanes are frightening, there are tireless meteorologists who work around the clock to keep us safe. Using the latest equipment, such as the weather satellites in space, they study weather patterns and predict when bad weather will strike. There are also ways people can prepare ahead of time for hurricanes, such as learning evacuation routes and keeping an extra supply of food and clean water on hand.
An Eye Opening Book
Whoever says studying weather is boring has not read this book. The photographs, eyewitness accounts, and histories of the different storms make Hurricanes: Witness to Disaster a must-have book for the classroom and home schooling family. The authors show children why it’s important that we learn about natural disasters and weather by showing how hurricanes affect people, their home, and even their country.
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