Penner introduces tornadoes and hurricanes, and the heart-stopping terrors that twisters engender will entice new readers. There is a little of everything here: explanations of the storms, the damage they cause, and what to do if a twister approaches. Although documentation might be awkward in an easy-to-read, the many anecdotes that pepper the book (wind picks up egg cartons and drops eggs unbroken; money flies out of a bank) seem to demand some sort of verification. The colored pencil artwork is well executed but has almost a comic feel that belies the real danger of twisters. Still, primary-graders who are fascinated by wild weather events will enjoy this. (Reviewed November 15, 1996)

This easy reader presents very basic information about tornadoes. The text is accessible, with a friendly narrative style that occasionally verges on glib ("Tornadoes can even rip somebody's clothes off") or babyish ("Tornadoes can make a loud, scary noise like a million buzzing bees"). This edition is newly illustrated with impressionistic paintings and occasional photos.