Hailstorms, tornadoes, sandstorms, blizzards, monsoons, hurricanes: the excitement of wild, stormy weather will draw beginning readers to this dramatic title with color photos on every page and an interactive text. What makes lightning and thunder? What happens when a funnel cloud touches the ground? How big is a hailstone? All the exclamation points are unnecessary; the facts are amazing enough, and even the occasional insets explaining "weather words" are gripping. Wry jokes further enliven the text: "Q: What did one lightning bolt say to the other? A: You are shocking." Information about storms on other planets and the details of how animals cope in the wild will fascinate young kids, who, cozy and safe at home, will want to follow the directions for acting out wind, spinning tornadoes, and more, with clapping hands and pounding feet.

Goin describes storm types (tornadoes, sandstorms, monsoons, hurricanes, etc.) and their effects on humans, animals, and their surroundings. The text effectively uses simple sentence structures to convey basic facts. Excellent color photographs of the profiled storms illustrate the information. "Weather Words" vocabulary and corny weather jokes ("What is a tornado's favorite game? Twister") enliven the volume.