A must read for young readers…
Wagstaffe, a qualified meteorologist, takes readers on an educational journey as she recounts the growth of a hurricane throughout its various stages. The Little Cloud, starts its journey as a tiny puffy cloud in sunny skies and continues its various growth stages as it drifts west from Africa, reaching the tropical storm stage and acquiring the name Nate. Fully grown now and ominous looking, Nate approaches landfall, resulting in emergency warnings as cities and towns in its path start preparing for its arrival. If met by mountains on its way, it would weaken considerably: unable to cause much damage to people in its path, it would slowly diminishes into water droplets to complete the water cycle. Inclusion of Weather Facts on every page and McLaughlin’s delightful illustrations make for a highly accessible, engrossing read. Wagstaffe’s narrative flows smoothly, and her prose easy to understand. The Fact Page at the end offers additional information about major hurricanes and hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. An informative guide to get young readers interested in a fascinating branch of science.