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Weather Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

At the Mercy of the Sea

Published in Hardcover by International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press (2006-10-02)

Author: John Kretschmer

List price: $24.95

New price: $8.00
Used price: $1.40
Collectible price: $25.95

Average review score:

Eulogy for a friend

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-28

This is an interesting sea story that will certainly entertain sailing enthusiasts for a long time. The story focused too heavily on the rather idealized but troubled life of a friend of the author, and at times suffers from too much speculation as to the mindset of the sailors eventually lost at sea. These literary shortcomings, however, are a reasonable trade off for the authors vast experience and knowledge of sailing. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in sailing.

Great Writer/Great Book

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-24

I picked up this book at the independent booksellers' convention in Atlanta after hearing John Kretschmer speak. His talk was so enthralling, I couldn't resist his book. It is riveting and well written. A must for anyone who seeks well-presented thought-provoking entertainment.

an amazing book!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-23

I just finished reading this book. It sat on my book shelf for a good while. I had forgotten about it. I picked it up today and never put it down.
I live on the island of St. Maarten. One of the sailors in this book was a resident here. I am familiar with the waters around here and I lived through Hurricane Lenny, so I was particularly interested in this book.
I was not prepared however for the intensity. I feel like I lived this tragedy with these sailors. This is a well written, well researched book and one highly personal for the author, who was a good friend of one of the sailors.
I highly recommend this book. It is well worth the read and if nothing else, it will make you appreciate the raw power of hurricanes and the sea.
My sympathies go out to all the families who lost their loved ones in this hurricane.

Could not put it down

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-29

This is a most excellent book which will sure become a sailing book classic. It tells the story how the paths of an American, an Australian, a Frenchman and a Brazilian in three different vessels crossed each other in the eyes of hurricane Lenny. With the insight of someone who seems to have lived their lives Kretschmer sketches us why they were sailing, what they loved about sailing, and why they were there when the hurricane struck.

The story is told by someone well-versed at sailing, but one who doesn't forget to explain the technical terms to newbies, but also does not bother experienced sailors with long explanations. It seems details have been researched painstakingly.

If you have ever dreamed about sailing the oceans, read this book.

A Gripping Read

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09

This is a well written and gripping tale of three sailboats caught in a Caribbean Hurricane. As their paths and stories converge, the tension gets tighter. We know how it ends, but finding out how it gets to that point keeps the reader from putting it down.

Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955

Published in Paperback by Word Forge Books (2005-10-15)

Author: Mary A. Shafer

List price: $19.95

New price: $16.24
Used price: $14.80
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

An engrossing account of a tragic event

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-22

Mary Shafer's "Devastation on the Delaware" is an engrossing account of the tragic Delaware Valley flood of 1955, created by Hurricanes Connie and Diane. Told as a narrative timeline of events, this book introduces us to the people and communities overcome by the wrathful waters of the Delaware and its tributaries. It reads like historical fiction rather than documentary, with many amazing and touching stories uncovered by the author's interviewing diligence. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it as a full and varied account of an unbelievable event and its effect on the Delaware Valley.

An Amazing Account of the '55 Flood

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-18

Mary Shafer's book Devastation on the Delaware is the amazing result of years of research and emotional commitment. Written to commemorate the August, 1955, Delaware River Valley Flood, the book takes the reader on a "roller-coaster ride" through those days of death and "devastation." Ms. Shafer describes in detail the Flood as experienced in all the areas of the Delaware Valley during August 18-20.

Her professional commitment to her "craft" and her personal commitment to the survivors and victims of the Flood are extraordinary. The survivors' stories (remembered in minute detail 50 years later) are heart-wrenching. The graphic details are horrifying.

The author is an exceptional writer, one who weaves historical and scientific facts into a compelling "story." The fascinating history of the Delaware River and its tributaries, general information about hurricanes (and Hurricanes Connie and Diane in particular) and the status of weather reporting in the mid-1950's and the abandoned plans to dam the River after the Flood all become part of the drama of one of our country's worst natural disasters. This book will hold everyone's interest. It is a great "read."

For those of us who lived through the Flood, it is also a priceless gift. Many people waited over 50 years for the kind of closure only Ms. Shafer's book has given them.

Shafer's book is an exceptional read.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-17

Mary Shafer has approached a detailed account of a tragic flood with unusual thoroughness, compassion, continuity, and research. It is a non-fiction book like no other, holding the reader spellbound throughout. One cannot help but become emotionally involved with those who suffered through this event, and one cannot help but admire Shafer for her accomplishment. Obviously, Shafer was passionate about her subject; it shows in throughout this book.

Gordon

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-10

An excellent portrayal of the effects on the entire Delaware Valley interwoven with stories of personal impacts and tragedies. Masterful research. Reads like a first person report at the time of the event.

Devastation on the Delaware: Stoires and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-15

Although I was born after the flood, I visited all the high-water markers in my hometown in the Pocono Mountains and listened intently to the haunting stories told by teachers, neighbors, and family friends. I believe the author of this book has done a marvelous job recounting the days and hours leading up to the region's greatest disastser, mostly through the eyes of those who witnessed the terrible events of August 1955.
--Ben Gelber, author of "The Pennsylvania Weather Book"

The Ski House Cookbook: Warm Winter Dishes for Cold Weather Fun

Published in Hardcover by Clarkson Potter (2007-10-23)

Authors: Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo

List price: $30.00

New price: $14.00
Used price: $10.95

Average review score:

One of the best cookbooks I've ever purchased!

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14

I bought this book about 3 weeks ago and have already made at least 10 items from it... some of them two or three times. All of the recipes I've tried so far are great. Some of my favorites are the beef stew, Vermont risotto, sour cream muffins and Rustic Apple-Pear pie. All of the recipes are very easy to follow as well. I am planning to give this book as a gift many times over!

GREAT WINTER RECIPES

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-09

I found this cookbook to have recipes that are easy to read with ingredients that are available in the supermarkets. There is a variety of dishes to fill the entire day. However, the Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake recipe has me a bit perplexed. The ingredience list for the Cake begins with "Unsalted Butter" and does not state if that is to butter the pan or if a certain amount is to be included in the batter. The amount is not stated. Other than that, the cookbook makes you want to gather up your skis and head for the slopes. They have even rated each recipe with ski trail ratings as to difficulty. This is a great book to add to your collection.

The best cookbook EVER!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-29

I have a whole bookcase full of cookbooks, in case someday I suddenly turn into a cook. The ONLY cookbook I use on a regular basis is this one. This book enables someone with very little skill in the kitchen to whip out a fantastic meal that A) tastes great, B) looks beautiful, C) didn't mess up the whole kitchen making it, and D) was fairly easy to accomplish. I hope to see more from these authors in the future...

awesome cook book

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14

This is a great cookbook if you like good food. There are some good recipes that are very easy to make..... I give this one an A+

Excellent Cookbook for Ski Season and Beyond

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-16

I picked this book up and saw the the authors ski at Okemo Mt,Vermont where our family skis every weekend, so I had to check it out!! I have already made many of the recipes with great success--finally I can make an excellent calzone--at home!! authors Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo have put together a practical guide book including what to stock in your pantry and high altitude cooking instructions plus a wide array of easy, quick foods from appetizers to desserts. Great job, girls!!

Weather Forecasting Handbook (5th Edition)

Published in Paperback by Weather Graphics Technologies (2002-06)

Author: Tim Vasquez

List price: $34.95

New price: $76.00
Used price: $75.99

Average review score:

Great book on mtetorology

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-13

I'm a meteorologist from Poland. Here we have great lack of good books on forecasting techniques. All meteo books are to high technical with equations on almost every page or written by amateurs, usually people without meteorological background. Tim's textbook is what I've looking for since graduate in atmospheric physics in mid 90s. I think it is a very good book for everyone and I'm happy I was able to by to read it.

Wonderful book on Forecasting!

Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-09

This book is the first book to truly go into detail on exactly what goes into professional and non-professional forecasts. The author explains the fundamentals of forecasting while leaving out textbook-style boredom. This book is perfect for beginners who want to learn how to forecast and also veterans who need to brush up. This book explains somewhat hard-to-explain-topics with ease. I am a 4th year meteorology student, and I find the book riveting. Very well researched and extremely thorough, the author is a master at forecasting for the most dangerous area in the world: tornado alley. He knows what he's talking about! Do yourself a favor and buy it. This is the best book on the subject I have ever read, and I have read a lot!!

Bridges the gap

Helpful Votes: 17 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-28

Geez, if only something like this existed 20 years ago when I was a teenager getting started in the hobby. It's really amazing that after reading this book, I can pick up on some of the most complex weather charts on the Internet and understand quite clearly what is going on. Tim has a way of describing things quite visually and clearly, and highlighting the building blocks of forecasting. Although I'm not a meteorologist myself, my friend who is in the degree program at the University of North Carolina recognizes this title as part of her coursework. I think this really says a lot. Two thumbs up on this one, and if you are the least bit interested in forecasting, trust me, this book had better be on your bookshelf (or better yet, on your desk). It's well worth the investment.

Very good book on meteorology

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-11

I'm meteorologist from Poland. Here we have a big lack of good books: they're high technics with lot of equations on almost every page or they're very simple, written by ordinary authors not experts. I was lookig for a book like Tim's since I graduated in mid 90s. It is very good book for both, one who want to know forecasting techniques and for professionals who need textbook for fast advice. I recommended it for everyone.

Broad and Good Coverage

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-23

As the author points out, this does fill the gap between novice (not beginner) and advanced books. That said, it is probably not for someone who is not really interested in weather forecasting as a serious hobby or profession. There is a wealth of information and it is organized very well. It is something that you will certainly want to pick up many times as your knowledge grows about this subject.

The appendix has a good amount of information that will further research. At the end are a bunch of analysis charts so that you can apply your knowledge. This would also be suitable as college material and each chapter has some questions to reinforce the learning of the material.

All About Lightning

Published in Paperback by Dover Publications (1987-01-01)

Author: Martin A. Uman

List price: $8.95

New price: $4.74
Used price: $0.99

Average review score:

inspirational

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-08

it was a good present for my uncle who has been struck by lightning.

Very informative

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-09

If you want to learn about lightening without too much science this is a great book. Very well written by a top scientist in the field.

Good information source

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-07

An excellent little book on lightning, especially for its price. Fairly non-technical, it gives a fine overview of nearly all the known characteristics of different types of lightning, and many hints of how to protect oneself from its effects. Answers nearly all the common questions about lightning. An excellent book for any person to read who lives in lightning country, which means just about anyone, anywhere.

Interesting book.

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-21

I recommend this book to all who have any interest in natural science. I was personally surprised at how interesting of a read this book was. Ulman did well brining to "light" topics that have plagued me about lightning since my childhood. He also satiated my engineering taste for technical aspects of the electrical phenomena. Photographs and diagrams add well to the text and support the facts presented without overburdening the reader with too much information.

Best book to learn about lightning and related subjects

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-07

Within my awareness, this is the best author on the physics of lightning (voltage, current, charge, speed, event sequence, frequency of occurrence, length/width of channel, temperature, etc). Related subjects such as injuries, death rate, damage, protection, thunderstorms, harnessing power, etc are also discussed. The book could use updating with data acquired in the last 16 years (1986-2002). An improvement to the book could be more info on lightning protection. Another book by Uman, 'Lightning', is less general and more technical about the physics of lightning.

Crystal: The Snow Fairy (Rainbow Magic: The Weather Fairies, No. 1)

Published in Paperback by Scholastic Paperbacks (2006-03-01)

Author: Daisy Meadows

List price: $4.99

New price: $1.89
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Good series for younger readers... and very, very, very girly

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-12

This is the second series of "Rainbow Magic" fairy books written by Daisy Meadows, picking up where the seven-part Rainbow Fairies series left off. These books are innocent and engaging, focusing on two young girls, Kirsty and Rachel, who meet while on vacation with their parents, and are drawn into the magical world of the fairies, who are in conflict with the mischievous Jack Frost. The structure of this series is nearly identical to the first: the girls are given a quest in which they must help seven fairies (each with sparkles aplenty and cute, super-girly outfits and princess-y names such as Hayley, Heather, Iris, Amber and Iris... ) who have been bothered by Jack and his goblin helpers. In each book they complete one part of the quest and meet one new fairy.

It is important to know going in that these books are interconnected -- each individual volume ties in with the others, so you will want to start with book #1, then go on to #2, etc. The plots are not very complicated, but they do make reference to each other, and the idea is to read them all together.

The other thing to know is that these books are not very scary or troubling - there is action, but not much real danger (the goblins are easily beaten, and not very frightening) so if you are looking for longer narratives for young kids to read, but don't want anything disturbing, this series is good option. One criticism is that the books are pretty WASP-y, and while a couple of the fairies might be seen as Asian, basically the entire series takes place in an all-white, middle-class world, populated with thin, blonde girls and a few brunettes. Other than that, though, this is a good series for families looking for light, engaging, age-appropriate stories. Not much depth, but they are very readable and engaging. (ReadThatAgain children's book reviews)

Crystal the Snow fairy

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-28

My Daughter Loves this book & looks forward to read the rest of the series. Its very easy to read.

Crystal The Snow Fairy

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-04

My daughter liked Crystal so much she wanted to get the rest of the weather fairies. We have since bought the Rainbow Fairies and Jewel Fairies. She loves reading them! They are captivating and have super illustrations. She also enjoyed Holly The Christmas Fairy as a Christmas surprise!

We love it!!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-23

My seven-year old daughter Clare has read 12 books by Daisy Meadows and we've ordered several more. She especially liked Crystal the Snow Fairy. It has great pictures. Some of her other favorites include: Pearl the Cloud Fairy and Heather the Violet Fairy. What a great series!

Doodle's magic feathers lost!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-13

I love this book! I would recommend this book for ages 5 and up. In this book Jack Frost's evil goblins stole Doodle's, the rooster who gives the weather faries their weather feathers so they can control the weather in FairyLand, tail feathers which are the weather feathers! Kirsty and Rachel are best friends, who are friends with the fairies so they can help! Their first mission is in this book when they have to find Crystal the snow fairies weather feather. Read this book to find out more!

Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey

Published in Hardcover by Abrams Books (2007-10-01)

Author:

List price: $35.00

New price: $18.67
Used price: $15.83

Average review score:

Storm Shaser: A Photographer's Journey

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-19

I thought that book is really nice. The pictures are very detailed and i thought that getting it used that it would be in bad shape. Really it was in perfect condition. I have been looking at this book alot to learn about tornado's. I really recommed this book.

Incredible Journey!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-14

Jim Reed's new book STORM CHASER: A PHOTOGRAPHER'S JOURNEY is nothing short of amazing. WIth breath taking photos and insightful anecdotes, the book takes the reader into the forces of nature that shape our lives and create historic, defining moments in time. I met Jim on the ground in Greensburg, KS and he was exceedingly kind and allowed me to spend a very enjoyable afternoon with him chronicling the aftermath of the tornado that struck there. Jim's soul shines thru in every photo and his passion for weather, photography and in the end people is wonderfully displayed in this work. I have his two previous works and all are works of art! Heed Jim's advice to get a weather radio- he knows what he is talking about! I don't look at the sky the same way after meeting him and seeing his work!

Great pictures in this book

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-29

My wife bought this for her father, who is impossible to buy gifts for. She read it first and loved it. Anyone who is interested in nature or science will like it very much.

Great book, wonderful pictures

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-28

The title "Storm Chaser" might lead one to believe this is a book about tornado chasing. It is but it's a whole lot more! Photographer Jim Reed takes his readers on a journey of land, sea, and sky covering the four seasons. Along the way we learn how Reed, once an eight year old boy, quickly became hooked on weather and began keeping a diary of events. As an adult he's traveled across North America photographing devastating tornadoes, hurricanes, raging flood waters, spectacular lightning displays, and blinding blizzards. Yet he also focuses on more benign (yet still beautiful) events such as rainbows, aurora, fall foliage, and migrating butterflies. Perhaps the book should have been titled "Open your eyes and take a look at all the interesting weather out there" because Reed shows us that there's natural beauty and wonder everywhere --if one just takes time to stop and smell the roses. Storm Chaser makes a great coffee table book but it's also a good study guide for those looking to improve their skills in photographing nature.

Wonderful photos.

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-28

I received this book as a gift. The photos in the book are very good. Excellent in most cases. My only complaint, and it a very minor one, is that as an amateur photographer, I would love to have seen the EXIF data (i.e, shutter speed, ISO, F-Stop, etc.) from the camera published at the bottom of each photo. However I understand this is a book of photos, not a photography book. Given the photos, the author must have a lot of waterproof equipment.

Storm Is Coming!

Published in Turtleback by Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media (2004-08-30)

Author: Heather Tekavec

List price: $14.70

Average review score:

A favorite!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-29

This book is a must have. The combination of humor, story line and illustrations is wonderful. My kids (ages 3, 6, and 8)love to read this over and over and have, in fact, even taken it for show and tell! We look forward to seeing more from this author.

Best childrens book

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-27

This is my favorite out of the 100's of books I have for my daughters, sure hope to see more from this author!

Highly recommended, what a wonderful story!

Terrific Read Aloud

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-02

My 3 yr old daughter's favorite read aloud. Charming, entertaining story line. Nicely illustrated. My daughter can recite this one from memory now, but she still enjoys it. I myself do not mind reading this one again and again. It is so cute!

A must have!!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-14

It is rare to find a book with excellent illustrations and story content. This book does both. My 5 and 2 1/2 yr old were spell bound waiting for "storms" coming. Perfect bedtime length!!A must for any childrens library!!

Fabulous and gripping to kids

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-28

I selected this book to read to kindergarteners as I was asked to come as a community reader at the local grade school. I wanted something that I could make "come to life" for these kids. It was suggested to me and I tested it out on my own 2 and 4 year old. They LOVED it! And so did the kids at the kindergarten. I made a different voice for each animal basing each voice on what we teach kids that animals say -- my duck is somewhat obnoxious as a duck's quack can be, etc. This book lends itself to plenty of action and if read right, it will captivate children!

Under the Whirlwind: Everything You Need to Know About Tornadoes but Didn't Know Who to Ask

Published in Paperback by Whirlwind Books (1998-03)

Authors: Jerrine Verkaik and Arjen Verkaik

List price: $20.00

New price: $24.00
Used price: $0.47

Average review score:

It was the best book I have ever read on the subject.

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1999-05-01

Under The Whirlwind is, one of the best books about tornadoes available. By reading the book, you will gain an amazing amount of knowledge, and be able to look at the sky with amazement and knowledge about what you see happening. It explains everything you ever wanted or need to know about severe weather and tornadoes, and it is written in understandable terms. Buy this book, and impress your friends with your knowledge of the stormy sky!

The best book ever written about tornadoes

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-21

Interesting, enlightening and useful are only a few of the adjectives that describe this book. It has everything from exciting stories to amazing facts. While the book includes many incredible photographs, they are intended to educate rather than just inspire awe. Whether you are interested in storm chasing or just want to recognize and protect your family from dangerous weather formations, this is the book for you. It truly has truly something for just about everyone from the light browser to the seasoned chaser. This is a book that everyone in tornado-prone areas should have as a reference!

This is the best Ontario tornado book out there!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-04-17

I am very pleased with this book. It gives great in-depth detail about what a victim goes through during a tornado, how to read the stormy sky, about the tornadoes in Ontario, and what to do after a tornado. I have personally met the authors.

~Laura Duchesne (Storm Chaser)

Great for beginner storm chasers or Midwest residents.

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-06

Well, it's not quite everything, but if you live in the Midwest you should really consider getting this book, whether it be used or new. It offers many different images as far as storm structures, tornado structures and clouds.

Diagrams are offered for 1) viewing the inside of a "worst-first" thunderstorm, 2) viewing the inside of a "worst-last" thunderstorm, 3) inside a tornado, 4) two pages of drawings of different "breeds" of tornadoes, 5) damage paths with debris location, etc.

There are small side notes on almost every page including "weird" information, myths, quick reference, highlights and checklists.

As for beginning chasers or settled chasers with bad luck (such as I), this is a great book to get started with. Aside from Arjen and Jerrine talking about one specific storm that spawned two tornadoes, you'll also learn about "The Storm Environment" (p.68). The Storm Environment explains the different types of clouds that are present with storms and what to expect with them. This section lasts two pages. The "Weather Words" section will get you up to date on your vocabulary used throughout the book. Although there are no scientific words that you'll never understand written throughout the book at all, it does contain words like aloft, updraft, downdraft, inflow, outflow and core. If you're unfamiliar with these words (or you simply think you know what they mean) this could come in handy. A small section is given to weather offices, such as SKYWARN and CANWARN.

This book will also describe to you the difference between a tornado, twister, funnel, funnel cloud, wall cloud, etc. Some of them have no differences at all, even though they are thought to have different meanings.

So far, I have only gotten through the two chapters focusing on Severe Storms and Tornadoes. I'll be back to update the review after I've gotten through the entire book. Enjoy!

Pleasantly written, diverse & well-illustrated tornado tome

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-04

Although the authors are Canadian, and aim the book at an audience north of the U.S., American weather enthusiasts and anyone wondering about tornadoes will soak this up. "Under the Whirlwind" is a solid work overall; and for a self-published book, it is amazingly informative and accurate. Readers may be as surprised at the Verkaiks' insight into severe storms issues, since they are not meteorologists. However, their devotion to learning scientific concepts, combined with their extensive storm observing experience and conversational writing style, allows them to succeed with this book. Although the reading is light in a purely technical sense, I found only a few typos and insignificant errors. More important are the clear messages of practicality, realism, education and compassion in the book -- which includes numerous suvivors' tales as well as segments on insurance coverage and helping children to deal with storm-related tragedy. The authors convey a wise message of safety and responsibility as well, for example: "After damaging tornadoes strike there are usually calls for better alert systems -- more bells and whistles.... But the best warning you can have comes from keeping your eye on the sky."

The illustrations are numerous and excellent, without peer in popular severe weather literature. Their deep artistic and educational appreciation for the wonders of a stormy sky pours forth in the form of dozens of full-color photos -- many consisting of spectacular storm structure scenes taken on their forays to the American Great Plains. These aren't presented just to show off the Verkaiks' mastery of storm photography, but to aid in interpreting cloud features. There are also several interesting, high-quality, contributed photos of Canadian tornadoes which never have been published before. The Verkaiks richly endow the volume with drawings, tables and color graphs as well, including numerous inset trivia boxes scattered throughout the book related to debunked tornado myths and tornado oddities.

Because this hasn't been a widely advertised book or peddled by a major publishing house since its 1997 debut, it may go under the radar, so to speak. But it is well worth the cost for students and general audiences curious about the mysteries of tornadoes.

The Way the Storm Stops

Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (2003-10-01)

Author: Michelle Meadows

List price: $16.95

New price: $3.94
Used price: $0.23
Collectible price: $16.95

Average review score:

My daughter's favorite

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-03

My daughter received this book as a gift when she was two and, at age three, it's still one of her favorites. She's even memorized each page so that it looks like she can read it on her own. Great book with wonderful pictures.

Third Graders Love It!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-17

This story was super. I used it as a introduction to poetry and imagery with my third grade students. They were able to visualize the thunderstorm and hear the sounds in their heads. As a result they came up with some super ideas themselves in their journals. This was Super!! I look forward to reading more of Mrs. Meadow's work with my students.

A fun read for kids and parents!!!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-28

I recently saw this book and thought my kids would like it. Well, they love it!!! I really enjoyed the rhyming which made it easy for my kids to follow along and try to memorize. My 5 year old is learning to read and he likes to try and recognize the words as we read it over and over and over... It is HIGHLY requested in our household! It's a fun read for parents too, and helps to give the words to soothe during those scary storms. All four of my kids are really enjoying this book and also the great pictures that illustrate the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone with young children!!!

The perfect book to soothe every child to sleep

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-24

This is the perfect book to soothe any child back to sleep. Ms. Meadows captures the feeling of a storm in a way that makes it seem rhythmic, even soothing to a child. Her words are warm, perfect for making a child feel safe and loved. This is the ideal book for any parent needing to read to a child in the middle of the night!

A Soothing Read

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-22

I found this well-rhyming book to be very soothing. This is just the sort of comforting story children have come to depend on in uncertain circumstances. What a delightful story with beautiful illustrations. My kids are older, but I bought one anyway because I love it so!