There are so many questions in young people’s minds about the climate disasters occurring throughout the world. With recent hurricanes and flooding so much in the news and a part of conversations, we’ve pulled together a group of books that will help those who learn from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Another Kind of Hurricane
written by Tamara Ellis Smith
written by Karina Nicole González
Schwartz & Wade, 2015
ages 9 and up
A hurricane, a tragic death, two boys, one marble. How they intertwine is at the heart of this beautiful, poignant book. When ten-year-old Zavion loses his home in Hurricane Katrina, he and his father are forced to flee to Baton Rouge. And when Henry, a ten-year-old boy in northern Vermont, tragically loses his best friend, Wayne, he flees to ravaged New Orleans to help with hurricane relief efforts — and to search for a marble that was in the pocket of a pair of jeans donated to the Red Cross.
The Coquíes Still Sing:
A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding
written by Karina Nicole González
illustrated by Krystal Quiles
Roaring Brook Press, 2022
ages 4 and up
After Hurricane Maria in 2017, the people of Puerto Rico found strength to rebuild their homes and communities. Co-quí, co-quí! The coquí frogs sing to Elena from her family’s beloved mango tree — their calls so familiar that they might as well be singing, “You are home, you are safe.” A beautiful book.
The Deadliest Hurricanes Then and Now
written by Deborah Hopkinson
Scholastic Focus, 2022
ages 7 and up
As a hurricane gathered in the Caribbean, blue skies covered Galveston, Texas. Scientists knew a storm was coming. But none of them were able to prepare Galveston for the force of the hurricane that hit on September 8, 1900.
The water from the storm surge pulled houses off their foundations, and the winds toppled telephone poles and trees like toothpicks. And amid the chaos, Galveston’s residents did all they could to rescue one another.
From the meteorologists tracking the storm, to the ordinary people who displayed extraordinary bravery … from the inequitable effects of the disaster, to a focus on many of the most severe hurricanes that have struck our shores, to the science of hurricanes and weather: Deborah Hopkinson brings voices from history to life in this fast-paced, wide-ranging narrative of the deadliest hurricanes in American history. Filled with more than 50 period photographs and illustrations, charts, facts, and pull-out boxes for eager nonfiction readers.
Eight Dolphins of Katrina:
A True Tale of Survival
written by Janet Coleman
illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
Clarion Books, 2013
ages 6 and up
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina crashed a forty-foot tidal wave over the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Mississippi. The dolphin house was demolished, and its inhabitants swept from their tank into the Gulf of Mexico. After growing up in captivity, how could the eight bottlenose dolphins feed and protect themselves in the wild? And if they could survive, would their trainers ever see them again?
Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code
written by Amy Cherrix
Clarion Books, 2017
ages 10 and up
Ten million Americans live in hurricane danger zones, but how do we know if or when to evacuate? We must predict both when a storm will strike and how strong it will be. A daring NASA earth science mission may have finally found a way to crack this hurricane code.
Dr. Scott Braun is the principal investigator for the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel mission (HS3), which flies repurposed military drones over hurricanes so that scientists can gather data. But the stakes are high and time is running out.
Finding Normal
written by Stephanie Faris
Aladdin, 2024
ages 9 and up
After a horrible storm floods her neighborhood, twelve-year-old Temple and her family are forced to move to a new town. They are some of the lucky ones, able to secure temporary housing relatively quickly. But Temple doesn’t feel so lucky starting over at a brand-new school halfway through the year and feeling a weird spotlight on her family’s situation from her new classmates. At home, things aren’t any better as her family struggles to adjust while figuring out how they can afford to rebuild.
When Temple sees a flyer for a local fundraiser, she decides she can do the same thing for her family. It would get her one big step closer to her old school, friends, and life. After enlisting the help of some new friends, Temple kicks her plan into action, quickly realizing it needs to be much bigger to help not only her family, but the dozens of others affected by the flood.
But adding the pressures of the fundraiser to the strain of grappling with all the recent changes may be more than Temple can handle. As she searches for a return to normal, can she figure out what’s truly important?
Flood
written and illustrated by Alvaro F. Villa
Picture Window Books, 2013
ages 6 and up
When a flood threatens to destroy a family’s home, they must leave. What will they return to once the waters recede? This intense, beautiful look at a flood s effect on a family carries a simple message of hope and recovery. This book proudly supports Save the Children’s Domestic Emergency Fund.
Flooded
written and illustrated by Mariajo Illustrajo
Frances Lincoln, 2022
Ages 3 to 6
A funny and beautifully illustrated tale of animals who live in a city that is ever so slowly flooding. The flood comes gradually at first. All the animals ignore the obvious and go about their busy lives, disjointed from one another and preoccupied by their own problems. Eventually, the flood water reaches a height that they can no longer ignore and they have to work together to save their city. All the animals join together in a line and pull out the plug that is drowning the city, helping the animals learn not to let problems fester. With a little teamwork and community spirit, no problem is insurmountable.
Hurricane
written and illustrated by John Rocco
Little, Brown, 2021
ages 4 and up
A young boy’s favorite place in the world is the old, splintery neighborhood dock. The boy can swim, fish, or watch minnows dart between the rocks. But a hurricane is coming …and its violent winds and rain carry with it anything that can float. A book that shows the power of community and the beauty of rebuilding after adversity.
Hurricane
written and illustrated by David Weisner
Clarion Books, 1992
ages 4 to 8
When a storm is raging, David and George are glad to be inside the house, snug and safe. In this spectacular picture book by Caldecott Honor recipient David Wisener, a fallen tree becomes the threshold to the limitless voyage of the imagination, which David and George share as only true friends — and brothers — can.
Hurricane Child
written by Kacen Callender
Scholastic Press, 2018
ages 9 and up
Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and twelve-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She’s hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won’t stop following her, and — worst of all — Caroline’s mother left home one day and never came back. But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline’s luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline’s first and only friend — and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush. Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline’s missing mother — before Caroline loses her forever.
Hurricanes!
written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons
Holiday House, 2020
ages 4 and up
Imagine a force that can toss boats around like toys, wash away bridges, create waves as high as eighteen feet, and change the shape of a shoreline. With fierce winds and torrential rains, hurricanes can do all of these things.
In this newly revised edition, vetted by weather experts, Gail Gibbons introduces readers to the concepts of hurricane formation, classification, weather preparedness, and the ever-evolving technology that helps us try to predict the behavior of these powerful storms.
I Survived: Hurricane Katrina, 2005
written by Lauren Tarshis
Scholastic, 2011
ages 9 and up
The horror of Hurricane Katrina is brought vividly to life in this fictional account of a boy, a dog, and the storm of the century. Barry’s family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry’s little sister gets terribly sick, they’re forced to stay home and wait out the storm. At first, Katrina doesn’t seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry’s world is literally torn apart. He’s swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century — alone?
Little Cloud
written by Johanna Wagstaffe
illustrated by Julie McLaughlin
Orca Books, 2020
ages 6 and up
Follow Nate, the little cloud, on an adventure through the sky and learn the science behind how it transforms from a simple cumulus cloud to a full-blown hurricane. Beautifully detailed illustrations integrate science with storytelling. There are gems of information throughout the book. Meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe weaves a compelling, comprehensive narrative about a powerful weather system.
Marvelous Cornelius
written by Phil Bildner
illustrated by Jon Parra
Charlesbridge, 2023
ages 4 and up
In New Orleans, there lived a man who saw the streets as his calling, and he swept them clean. He danced up one avenue and down another and everyone danced along. The old ladies whistled and whirled. The old men hooted and hollered. The barbers, bead twirlers, and beignet bakers bounded behind that one-man parade. But then came the rising Mississippi — and a storm greater than anyone had seen before. In this heartwarming book about a real garbage man, we learn the inspiring story of a humble man and the heroic difference he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Ninth Ward
written by Sara E. Echenique
illustrated by Ashley Vargas
Charlesbridge, 2023
ages 4 and up
Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives in a tight-knit community in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. She doesn’t have a fancy house like her uptown family or lots of friends like the other kids on her street. But what she does have is Mama Ya-Ya, her fiercely loving caretaker, wise in the ways of the world and able to predict the future. So when Mama Ya-Ya’s visions show a powerful hurricane — Katrina — fast approaching, it’s up to Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm.
Ninth Ward is a deeply emotional story about transformation and a celebration of resilience, friendship, and family — as only love can define it.
Our Roof is Blue
written by Sara E. Echenique
illustrated by Ashley Vargas
Charlesbridge, 2023
ages 4 and up
This heartfelt story of resilience follows two siblings as they work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroys their home in Puerto Rico. Before an intense hurricane hits their home in Puerto Rico, Antonio told his sister vibrant stories each night. During the storm, they huddled with their parents in a closet and hear the storm blow the roof right off their home. After the storm, their family uses a temporary blue tarp for a roof, and Antonio stops speaking. Gradually the siblings imagine their blue roof playfully — as the ocean above them or a parachute helping them fall from the sky. As the narrator helps her little brother feel safe once more — and after the family and community build a new roof — the little boy begins to speak again.
Over in the Wetlands:
A Hurricane on the Bayou Story
written by Caroline Starr Rose
illustrated by Rob Dunleavy
Random House, 2015
ages 8 and up
Journey to the Louisiana wetlands and watch as all the animals of the bayou experience one of nature’s most dramatic and awe-inspiring events: a hurricane. The animals prepare — swimming for safer seas, finding cover in dens, and nestling their young close to protect them. During the height of the storm, even the trees react, cracking and moaning in the wind. At last, the hurricane yawns and rests, and animals come out to explore their world anew.
A Place Where Hurricanes Happen
written by Renée Watson
illustrated by Shadra Strickland
Random House, 2010
ages 5 and up
Natural and man-made disasters are becoming more commonplace in children’s lives, and this touching free-verse picture book provides a straightforward account of Hurricane Katrina. In alternating voices, four friends describe their lives before, during, and after the storm and how, even though the world can change in a heartbeat, people define the character of their community and offer one another comfort and hope even in the darkest hours. Renée Watson’s lyrical free verse is perfectly matched in Shadra Strickland’s vivid mixed media art. Together they celebrate the spirit and resiliency of New Orleans, especially its children.
The Puttermans Are in the House
written by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
HarperCollins, 2023
ages 8 and up
Seventh graders Sammy and Matty are the Putterman twins — the perfect team of two. But Matty has a secret he’s not ready to share with his family yet, and he suddenly quits baseball and stops talking to his sister. With their twin telepathy broken, Sammy doesn’t know what to do without her teammate.
Becky Putterman is sick of her family only cheering for her cousins, Sammy and Matty. They all used to be friends, but since everything became about the twins, Becky’s felt left out. With her bat mitzvah around the corner, she hopes it’ll finally be her turn in the spotlight.
But then Hurricane Harvey hits Houston, Texas, and the twins’ house is damaged in the flood. Their family moves in with Becky’s — which no one is happy about. As their grief, anger, and uncertainty grow, they’ll soon find they need each other now more than ever before. With all nine Puttermans under one roof, can Sammy, Matty, and Becky find a way to glue their family back together?
River Friendly River Wild
written by Jane Kurtz
illustrated by Neil Brennan
Simon & Schuster, 2000
ages 4 and up
This winter was snowy, this spring brought a terrible blizzard, and now the river is rising. Sandbags don’t stop it, the dikes don’t stop it, and late one night sirens warn everyone to evacuate. A girl and her family don’t expect to be gone more than a couple of days, so they leave their cat and race for shelter with only a suitcase each. But as days stretch into weeks they worry: Is the cat safe? Will they have a home to return to? And how will their lives be changed? Inspired by Jane Kurtz’s own flood experience on the Red River in North Dakota, this tale is realistic and unforgettable.
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach
written by Anne O’Brien Carelli
Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012
ages 10 and up
A boy, a dog, and New Orleans’ most famous storm — Hurricane Katrina. Saint is a boy with confidence as big as his name is long. A budding musician, he earns money playing clarinet for the New Orleans tourists, and his best friend is a stray dog named Shadow. At first Saint is sure that Hurricane Katrina will be just like the last one — no big deal. But then the city is ordered to evacuate and Saint refuses to leave without Shadow. Saint and Shadow flee to his neighbor’s attic — and soon enough it’s up to Saint to save them all.
Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood
written by Robert Beatty
Disney Hyperion, 2024
ages 8 and up
Author Robert Beatty, known for his Serafina series, will be donating 100% of his earned royalties from this book to the people impacted by the catastrophic floods caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina where he lives. He feels this is especially important because this story, which he’s been writing for the last several years, involves a hurricane striking the mountains of North Carolina and causing devastating floods. The real-life 100-year flood struck at the same time the book was scheduled to launch.
Sylvia Doe doesn’t know where she was born or the people she came from. She doesn’t even know her real last name. Sylvia has lived at the Highground Home for Children in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina for as long as she can remember. Whenever the administrators place her with a foster family in the city, she runs away, back to her horse Kitty Hawk — her best friend — and the other horses in the herd, the only place she feels like she belongs.
Skylark and Wallcreeper
written by Anne O’Brien Carelli
Yellow Jacket, 2018
ages 9 and up
Queens, 2012. Hurricane Sandy is flooding New York City, and Lily is at a nursing home with her grandmother, Collette. Lily visits Collette often, as she is beginning to lose her memories. When the National Guard shows up to evacuate the building and take them to safety at the Park Slope armory in Brooklyn, Lily’s granny suddenly produces a red box she’s hidden in a closet for years. Once they get to safety, Lily opens the box, where she finds an old, beautiful Montblanc pen. Granny tells Lily that the pen is very important and that she has to take care of it, as well as some letters written in French.
But Lily loses the pen in the course of helping other nursing home residents, and as she searches the city trying to find it, she learns more about her grandmother’s past in France and begins to uncover the significance of the pen with the help of her best friend, a quirky pen expert, and a larger-than-life, off-Broadway understudy. Told in alternating sections (2012 and 1944), this engaging book explores a deep friendship during difficult times and the importance of family.
Storm Blown
written by Nick Courage
Delacorte Press, 2019
ages 8 and up
A little rain and wind don’t worry Alejo — they’re just part of life at the beach. As his padrino says, as long as there are birds in the waves, it’s safe. When people start evacuating, though, Alejo realizes things might be worse than he thought. And they are. A hurricane is headed straight for Puerto Rico.
Emily’s brother, Elliot, has been really sick. He can’t go outside their New Orleans home, so Emily decides to have an adventure for him. She’s on a secret mission to the tiny island Elliot loves. She’s not expecting to meet up with an injured goose or a shy turtle. And nothing has prepared her for Megastorm Valerie. Soon Alejo and Emily will be in Valerie’s deadly path. Who will survive?
A Terrible Thing Happened:
A Story for Children Who Have Witnessed Violence or Trauma
written by Margaret M. Holmes
afterword by Sasha J. Mudlaff
illustrated by Cary Pillo
Magination Press, 2000
ages 3 and to 8
A gently told and tenderly illustrated story for children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and natural disasters such as floods or fire.
Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his stomach hurt. He had bad dreams. And he started to feel angry and do mean things, which got him in trouble. Then he met Ms. Maple, who helped him talk about the terrible thing that he had tried to forget. Now Sherman is feeling much better.
Children who have witnessed violence or other traumatic incidents are at surprisingly greater risk for committing violence in the future than are children who have actually been involved in such events. The event might be a car accident, domestic or school violence, suicide, or a natural disaster such as a tornado, flood, or fire. Regardless of the type of incident, child witnesses often react by trying to forget or ignore the experience. When their feelings are pushed underground in this manner, these children may begin to feel bad in ways they don’t understand, and become angry as a result of feeling bad. It is this anger that can give way to violence.
Caring adults can make all the difference by helping children talk about and understand the experience. An afterword by Sasha J. Mudlaff written for parents and other caregivers offers extensive suggestions for helping traumatized children, including a list of other sources that focus on specific events.
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival
written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery
illustrated by Jean Cassels
Bloomsbury, 2008
ages 5 and up
During Hurricane Katrina, evacuating New Orleans residents were forced to leave their pets behind. Bobbi the dog was initially chained to keep her safe, but after her owners failed to return, she had to break free. For months, Bobbi wandered the city’s ravaged streets — dragging her chain behind her — followed by her feline companion, Bob Cat. After months of hunger and struggle, the Two Bobbies were finally rescued by a construction worker helping to rebuild the city. When he brought them to a shelter, volunteers made an amazing discovery about the devoted friends — Bob Cat was actually blind! He had survived the aftermath of the storm by following the sound Bobbi’s chain made as she dragged it along the ground.
At the shelter, the two bob-tailed friends refused to be parted, even for a moment. Could rescue workers find the Bobbies owners? Or could they find a new home that would take them together?