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Tornadoes!
What in the world is a tornado? In this age of extreme weather, Gail Gibbons' informative introduction to tornadoes answers all your questions.
Tornadoes form when hot, humid air rises from the ground and meets with the cooler, denser air that is falling back to Earth. The two airstreams begin to swirl, pulling in more and more air to form a funnel-shaped cloud. The winds can swirl faster than 261 miles per hour!
Using her praised combination of clear text and detailed illustrations, Gail Gibbons shares tornado facts. . . . including how tornadoes form, the scale used for classifying them, and the safest places to go in case one should happen near you.
Featuring simple, kid-friendly text, colorful paintings, and well-labeled diagrams, Gail Gibbons' nonfiction titles have been called ""staples of any collection" ( Kirkus Reviews ) and offer clear, accessible introductions to complex topics for young readers beginning to explore the world.
Tornadoes form when hot, humid air rises from the ground and meets with the cooler, denser air that is falling back to Earth. The two airstreams begin to swirl, pulling in more and more air to form a funnel-shaped cloud. The winds can swirl faster than 261 miles per hour!
Using her praised combination of clear text and detailed illustrations, Gail Gibbons shares tornado facts. . . . including how tornadoes form, the scale used for classifying them, and the safest places to go in case one should happen near you.
Featuring simple, kid-friendly text, colorful paintings, and well-labeled diagrams, Gail Gibbons' nonfiction titles have been called ""staples of any collection" ( Kirkus Reviews ) and offer clear, accessible introductions to complex topics for young readers beginning to explore the world.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2009
11 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Gail Gibbons
222 books161 followersFrom gailgibbons.com: I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.
Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.
Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
September 25, 2024
This is a bit long and advanced for a child but as a wannabe tornado chaser, I loved it. Cue Luke Combs and Glenn Powell in a cowboy hat. But really it’s a very informative read and the illustrations are wonderfully done. We might try again as she gets older but not this young again.
Want to read
March 12, 2017Tornadoes!
December 22, 2019
Loved this one. I love learning about tornadoes and absolutely love teaching others about them
March 17, 2020
This is an informational text that educates readers on tornadoes from many different perspectives, including how they form, how they're measured, the damage they cause, and even how to be safe during a tornado. Tornadoes! is a WOW book for me because of how informative it is while still being entertaining and appropriate for children. Even as an adult, I learned something about tornadoes by reading this book! The illustrations are eye-catching and utilize arrows and diagrams when necessary to depict the processes being described by the author. I would read this book in a 5th or 6th grade classroom, to supplement our science lessons on weather and natural disasters.
The first sentence in the book describes that "the word TORNADO comes from the Spanish word tronada, meaning 'thunderstorm'" (3). I thought it was interesting that Gibbons decided to start the book by making a connection between cultures, and it gave me the idea of doing a cognate activity in class. If my class happened to be learning Spanish at the time, we would focus on Spanish to English cognates; if not, we could discuss cognates between various languages. For example, "train" in English translates to "train" in French, "tren" in Spanish, "trem" in Portuguese, "treno" in Italian, and "tren" in Romanian. Discussing the similarities among Latin languages would also allow for a conversation about root words and using them to decode unfamiliar words, either in English or another language. For example, knowledge about "vending machines" could help students guess that "vender" in Spanish means "to sell". Similarly, students could use that knowledge to determine the meaning of the English word "vendor".
I like that this book includes diagrams, such as arrows to depict downdrafts and updrafts and how they spin together. For a class that is working on drawing diagrams to explain their scientific findings and observations, we could do a diagram drawing activity based on the pictures in this book. In groups, students could be instructed to draw diagrams that depict other weather patterns that they are studying in science class. Another option is to have them draw a map and use arrows to depict how they move through the school throughout the day, from the bus to class to specials to lunch, etc.
The book goes into detail about the EF scale, providing descriptions of tornadoes from EF-0 to EF-5, including wind speeds and damage caused by the tornado. For example, "Ef- 2 tornadoes may have wind speeds between 111 mph and 136 mph...they can tear the whole roof off a frame house, demolish mobile homes, and snap or uproot large trees" (14). After the read aloud, I could go back to that section of the book and, with the students' help, construct an anchor chart. The anchor chart could be a table with 3 columns: EF scale, Description, and Damage. By filling in the table as a class, we could synthesize the information found in the book, and organize it in a way that supports comprehension. An extension could be to put students in groups, and assign each group a different strength tornado. Using the anchor chart and the book, the groups would draw a picture that depicts the tornado they are assigned and the damage it would cause.
The first sentence in the book describes that "the word TORNADO comes from the Spanish word tronada, meaning 'thunderstorm'" (3). I thought it was interesting that Gibbons decided to start the book by making a connection between cultures, and it gave me the idea of doing a cognate activity in class. If my class happened to be learning Spanish at the time, we would focus on Spanish to English cognates; if not, we could discuss cognates between various languages. For example, "train" in English translates to "train" in French, "tren" in Spanish, "trem" in Portuguese, "treno" in Italian, and "tren" in Romanian. Discussing the similarities among Latin languages would also allow for a conversation about root words and using them to decode unfamiliar words, either in English or another language. For example, knowledge about "vending machines" could help students guess that "vender" in Spanish means "to sell". Similarly, students could use that knowledge to determine the meaning of the English word "vendor".
I like that this book includes diagrams, such as arrows to depict downdrafts and updrafts and how they spin together. For a class that is working on drawing diagrams to explain their scientific findings and observations, we could do a diagram drawing activity based on the pictures in this book. In groups, students could be instructed to draw diagrams that depict other weather patterns that they are studying in science class. Another option is to have them draw a map and use arrows to depict how they move through the school throughout the day, from the bus to class to specials to lunch, etc.
The book goes into detail about the EF scale, providing descriptions of tornadoes from EF-0 to EF-5, including wind speeds and damage caused by the tornado. For example, "Ef- 2 tornadoes may have wind speeds between 111 mph and 136 mph...they can tear the whole roof off a frame house, demolish mobile homes, and snap or uproot large trees" (14). After the read aloud, I could go back to that section of the book and, with the students' help, construct an anchor chart. The anchor chart could be a table with 3 columns: EF scale, Description, and Damage. By filling in the table as a class, we could synthesize the information found in the book, and organize it in a way that supports comprehension. An extension could be to put students in groups, and assign each group a different strength tornado. Using the anchor chart and the book, the groups would draw a picture that depicts the tornado they are assigned and the damage it would cause.
April 18, 2020
Tornadoes! is an informational text by Gail Gibbons that would be appropriate for a wide range of students. I would primarily use this in grades 1st-4th due to the curriculum in those grades and reading level of the book. I would use this primarily as a read aloud, but would also include it in the class library for 4th and 5th grades to read independently.
In the classroom, this book would be an excellent resource to use before or after a tornado, or on the week of a tornado drill. Many tornadoes touch down in central NC so this may be something that is on students’ minds. This book may alleviate stress and uncertainty around tornadoes, and informs students with best practices and procedures. I would also use this book in relation to teaching about weather, clouds, and the water cycle. The class would read the book aloud and then take a trip outside to record observations about clouds and what kinds of clouds they observe over a few weeks. Lastly, I could use this book to introduce Tier 2 vocabulary like condensation, cumulonimbus, and meteorologists when starting a unit.
I really loved this book. I was fascinated by tornadoes as a child and fearful of them, because they felt so mysterious. Gail Gibbon’s book demystifies and categorizes tornadoes to a digestible size so that students (and adults) understand why, when, where, and how tornadoes strike. I was WOWed by the clear, direct, informative way information was communicated, as well as the simplicity and accuracy of her illustrations. I learned a lot from reading this book! Gail Gibbons provides you with anything and everything you ever wanted to know about tornadoes.
In the classroom, this book would be an excellent resource to use before or after a tornado, or on the week of a tornado drill. Many tornadoes touch down in central NC so this may be something that is on students’ minds. This book may alleviate stress and uncertainty around tornadoes, and informs students with best practices and procedures. I would also use this book in relation to teaching about weather, clouds, and the water cycle. The class would read the book aloud and then take a trip outside to record observations about clouds and what kinds of clouds they observe over a few weeks. Lastly, I could use this book to introduce Tier 2 vocabulary like condensation, cumulonimbus, and meteorologists when starting a unit.
I really loved this book. I was fascinated by tornadoes as a child and fearful of them, because they felt so mysterious. Gail Gibbon’s book demystifies and categorizes tornadoes to a digestible size so that students (and adults) understand why, when, where, and how tornadoes strike. I was WOWed by the clear, direct, informative way information was communicated, as well as the simplicity and accuracy of her illustrations. I learned a lot from reading this book! Gail Gibbons provides you with anything and everything you ever wanted to know about tornadoes.
March 28, 2022
(INFORMATIONAL) The picture book Tornadoes is a short and easy read book that starts by talking about where the word tornado comes from. It then moves into the formation of a tornado and describes what it looks like. It explains how an updraft and downdraft come together and start to spin with images and arrows to show just that. It explains how tornadoes can happen any time of the year if the weather conditions are right. It talks about T, Theodore Fujita who created the Fujita Tornado Scale that goes from F0 to F5. It explains how tornadoes are generally classified. Then the book goes on to describe each specific level on an enhanced Fujita tornado scale from EF-0 to EF-5, giving a description of the kind of damage it can cause and visual representations. It talks about tornado alleys which are the areas that experience tornadoes frequently in the United States. It then goes on to talk about some devastating tornadoes that have happened(like the great tri-state tornado) and their impacts of them. To wrap the story up it talks about how to watch out for tornadoes and what to do if a tornado approaches you.
This is an informational text that I believe is appropriate for grades K-5. I also think it is appropriate to read aloud for students and for them to read independently. When reading aloud, it can be used for a lesson and discussion on tornadoes. Students can also read it independently looking at the pictures to help them put context to the information. Students who can't read yet (kindergarteners) can look at the pictures and they could still get a good understanding of what a tornado is and the damage it can cause.
One way I could use this book in my classroom is to have a discussion on tornado safety. It doesn't matter where you live, it can never be a bad thing to prepare students for what to do if there was a tornado. We get tornado warnings here in North Carolina all the time, and even though they may not really affect us, one day it can and so this book is great because along with telling up what a tornado is, it provides what to do if a tornado is approaching and provides pictures and visualizations for students. This helps younger students who may not understand what it means to “crouch down low and cover your head with your hands. Stay away from windows and outside walls.” The pictures really help students understand more clearly. The second way I would use this book is during a science unit on weather/natural disasters. This would be a great way to introduce the natural disaster of tornadoes. It helps explain tornadoes without overwhelming students with a lot of information. It also leaves room for students to raise questions and can help to lead to further discussion and research on tornadoes.
I think this book should be introduced to students in elementary school because it is a book that provides a good understanding of the natural disaster of a tornado and it is very informative, but what I like about it a lot is that it is now overwhelming. My favorite thing about the book is the pictures. The pictures are awesome and really help connect the words to a visual context. I especially like the pictures when it talks about the level on the tornado scale because students can see the different amounts of destruction each level causes. I really think it is great for all grade levels because even though it is a “picture book” it has just information that you could find when looking up what a tornado is, but is even better because it visually represents the natural disaster and all its impacts.
This is an informational text that I believe is appropriate for grades K-5. I also think it is appropriate to read aloud for students and for them to read independently. When reading aloud, it can be used for a lesson and discussion on tornadoes. Students can also read it independently looking at the pictures to help them put context to the information. Students who can't read yet (kindergarteners) can look at the pictures and they could still get a good understanding of what a tornado is and the damage it can cause.
One way I could use this book in my classroom is to have a discussion on tornado safety. It doesn't matter where you live, it can never be a bad thing to prepare students for what to do if there was a tornado. We get tornado warnings here in North Carolina all the time, and even though they may not really affect us, one day it can and so this book is great because along with telling up what a tornado is, it provides what to do if a tornado is approaching and provides pictures and visualizations for students. This helps younger students who may not understand what it means to “crouch down low and cover your head with your hands. Stay away from windows and outside walls.” The pictures really help students understand more clearly. The second way I would use this book is during a science unit on weather/natural disasters. This would be a great way to introduce the natural disaster of tornadoes. It helps explain tornadoes without overwhelming students with a lot of information. It also leaves room for students to raise questions and can help to lead to further discussion and research on tornadoes.
I think this book should be introduced to students in elementary school because it is a book that provides a good understanding of the natural disaster of a tornado and it is very informative, but what I like about it a lot is that it is now overwhelming. My favorite thing about the book is the pictures. The pictures are awesome and really help connect the words to a visual context. I especially like the pictures when it talks about the level on the tornado scale because students can see the different amounts of destruction each level causes. I really think it is great for all grade levels because even though it is a “picture book” it has just information that you could find when looking up what a tornado is, but is even better because it visually represents the natural disaster and all its impacts.
October 3, 2019
Summary:
Tornadoes is an informative book that allows students to learn about what tornado means, how they form the different types of tornadoes, the damage they can do, the places they typically form, and what to do if you happen to encounter one. The book provides detailed pictures and descriptions of tornadoes and the impact they have.
Evaluation:
This book was very through when informing about tornadoes. I enjoyed it because it uses scientific language, but also connects the topic to how it could apply in real life by showing what to do if there is a tornado near you. The book presents some of the information in a scary way, for example listing the amounts of deaths, but they also teach students how to be safe in this situation.
Teaching Idea:
This book can be used as quick read aloud in fourth grade. It can be used to introduce the topic of tornados when learning about weather patterns. It provides scientific terms that can be used as an introduction to the topic. It could also be used a research tool if students are doing a project on a certain weather pattern. This book provides specific information on the different types of tornadoes.
Tornadoes is an informative book that allows students to learn about what tornado means, how they form the different types of tornadoes, the damage they can do, the places they typically form, and what to do if you happen to encounter one. The book provides detailed pictures and descriptions of tornadoes and the impact they have.
Evaluation:
This book was very through when informing about tornadoes. I enjoyed it because it uses scientific language, but also connects the topic to how it could apply in real life by showing what to do if there is a tornado near you. The book presents some of the information in a scary way, for example listing the amounts of deaths, but they also teach students how to be safe in this situation.
Teaching Idea:
This book can be used as quick read aloud in fourth grade. It can be used to introduce the topic of tornados when learning about weather patterns. It provides scientific terms that can be used as an introduction to the topic. It could also be used a research tool if students are doing a project on a certain weather pattern. This book provides specific information on the different types of tornadoes.
November 25, 2017
Awards:
Grade Level: K-2nd
Summary: Gibbons displays a large amount of information about all sort of tornadoes including their formation, signs of a tornado and other fun and interesting facts. The story is goes into great detailing outlying how aspects like downdraft and updraft help in forming a tornado and where tornadoes are most commonly seen. The text provides the perfect back drop on providing the information on how to best survive a hurricane as well.
Review: This story is an excellent place to start to build students interest in topics like the weather or clouds. The story has a variety of advanced words that the teacher can explain and introduce to the class as the class continues to experiment with those various definitions. Thee book also provides awesome artwork illustrating the scientific principles at work.
2 Activities: This story can be used to introduce a theme of weather or clouds and be used to spark the interest.
This book can be used to introduce advanced vocabulary like updraft, downdraft, and cumulonimbus. That students later experiment with.
Grade Level: K-2nd
Summary: Gibbons displays a large amount of information about all sort of tornadoes including their formation, signs of a tornado and other fun and interesting facts. The story is goes into great detailing outlying how aspects like downdraft and updraft help in forming a tornado and where tornadoes are most commonly seen. The text provides the perfect back drop on providing the information on how to best survive a hurricane as well.
Review: This story is an excellent place to start to build students interest in topics like the weather or clouds. The story has a variety of advanced words that the teacher can explain and introduce to the class as the class continues to experiment with those various definitions. Thee book also provides awesome artwork illustrating the scientific principles at work.
2 Activities: This story can be used to introduce a theme of weather or clouds and be used to spark the interest.
This book can be used to introduce advanced vocabulary like updraft, downdraft, and cumulonimbus. That students later experiment with.
December 2, 2017
1. Awards: None
2. 1st—2nd grade
3. This informational text is all about tornadoes: what they are and how they are formed. Facts and intricate illustrations are used in the book to explain how the tornadoes come about. Additionally, it explains how to classify them and what precautions to take if you are ever in danger of being near one.
4. This book is inviting and informative. The illustrations are very detailed and captivating. It is an informational text that children will love, especially those who are very interested in science and the weather.
5. In the classroom:
Teach can lead discussion and write on chart paper what tornadoes are, what they have, and what they can do.
Children can write down the proper precautions to take if they are ever near a tornado on a piece of gray construction paper shaped like a tornado.
With assistance by teacher/adults, children make their own mini tornadoes in a jar.
2. 1st—2nd grade
3. This informational text is all about tornadoes: what they are and how they are formed. Facts and intricate illustrations are used in the book to explain how the tornadoes come about. Additionally, it explains how to classify them and what precautions to take if you are ever in danger of being near one.
4. This book is inviting and informative. The illustrations are very detailed and captivating. It is an informational text that children will love, especially those who are very interested in science and the weather.
5. In the classroom:
Teach can lead discussion and write on chart paper what tornadoes are, what they have, and what they can do.
Children can write down the proper precautions to take if they are ever near a tornado on a piece of gray construction paper shaped like a tornado.
With assistance by teacher/adults, children make their own mini tornadoes in a jar.
December 13, 2018
1. No awards.
2. Appropriate Grade Level(s): 1st-4th Grade
3. Readers learn all about tornadoes. Facts include what a tornado is, how it is formed, and what it is like to be in a tornado. In more detail, the book goes into how tornadoes are measured and how damage size is calculated. The book concludes with the largest and most damaging tornadoes in history as well as what to do in case of a tornado.
4. Due to where I live, I do not have any experiences with tornadoes. With that said, this book provides enough information to understand the generality of tornadoes themselves. I believe that children would have the same understanding. The cartoon images make this book kid friendly since children are used to books with pictures. This book makes you forget that you are reading an informational text because of the simple flow it has.
5.-Use during a unit on weather
-Mini tornado in a bottle experiment
2. Appropriate Grade Level(s): 1st-4th Grade
3. Readers learn all about tornadoes. Facts include what a tornado is, how it is formed, and what it is like to be in a tornado. In more detail, the book goes into how tornadoes are measured and how damage size is calculated. The book concludes with the largest and most damaging tornadoes in history as well as what to do in case of a tornado.
4. Due to where I live, I do not have any experiences with tornadoes. With that said, this book provides enough information to understand the generality of tornadoes themselves. I believe that children would have the same understanding. The cartoon images make this book kid friendly since children are used to books with pictures. This book makes you forget that you are reading an informational text because of the simple flow it has.
5.-Use during a unit on weather
-Mini tornado in a bottle experiment
October 15, 2022
This book is all about tornadoes. It talks about what a tornado is and where the word originated from. In the book it talked about the tornado scale developed by T. Theodore Fujita, and what each rating means. There are different wind speeds for each level of a tornado. The worst kind is a EF-5. Sometimes tornados cause very bad damage to houses and people. One bad tornado that it listed in the book was a tornado in Missouri own 1925. It's called the Great Sri-State Tornado. A lot of people died, there was damaged for miles.
April 27, 2018
This book gives great detail as to what a tornado is and how it forms. It also goes into depth at the damages and dangers that come with tornadoes. This book has great illustrations for the children to be engaged and the wording is very child friendly. For these reasons I gave this book a 4 star rating.
June 18, 2018
I know this is a children’s book but I learned a lot. I now have a much more firm grasp on how tornadoes are formed. We (myself and my 10 yo, 7 yo, and 4 yo) especially enjoyed the before/after of each type of EF class of tornado. I highly recommend this book for a weather unit or for curious children.
April 20, 2020
This would be a great book to use to introduce tornadoes. The students really get to see how a tornado is formed within this book. It has tons of opportunities to use the vocabulary strategies that we are researching. An activity that I can my students is to create their own tornado with water in a waterbottle. We can use glitter to show the debris within the tornado.
June 23, 2020
I love this book. The illustrations are great and it gives the students some very important information about how tornadoes form and the places they are more prone to hit. It also did a great job explaining in depth what to do if a tornado actually hits. The only problem that I had with this book is the some of the information was a little too much for kids under five.
November 2, 2020
An excellent book that will help children understand storms and tornadoes. This book is perfect for readers as it provides large pictures and descriptions of the differences between the storm categories. I would definitely recommend having this book in the classroom for students to have a better understanding of storms.
November 18, 2022
Wow! Tornadoes are even scarier than I thought! I did not know that there was a rating system for tornadoes just like for earthquakes -- the Enhanced Fujita (named after Theodore Fujita who developed it) Tornado Scale, from 1 to 5. Some probable (when this rating didn't exist yet) EF-5's occurred in 1925 and 1999. Fortunately, they are not as frequent! Fascinating book!
August 15, 2017
My son's latest interest is wild/extreme weather. This book has good illustrations and does a good job at teaching preschoolers about tornadoes without making it scary or overwhelming/boring with too much text. He loves it.
February 17, 2021
This was a very informative book that wasn't too overwhelming with too much information. The illustrations were interesting enough to keep my son's attention. It was actually more interesting as art work than if it had been photographs for a non-fiction book such as this.
May 24, 2021
A great book to teach children about a serious topic, in a not so scary way. Children need to be aware of storms, and especially if they are living in a place where on can hit. Tornadoes! really helps one understand the different types of storms and how to stay safe.
June 23, 2021
Two nights ago a tornado touched down not far from where we live. My kids wanted to know more about how they work. This book focuses a lot on the wreckage they cause which has probably terrified them more.
I am not sure there is a gentle book to teach the reality of tornadoes.
I am not sure there is a gentle book to teach the reality of tornadoes.
December 2, 2018
Unique way to write a non fiction book
March 16, 2019
Informational
A unique feature is that along with the story there were also facts on the page and some really good diagrams
I would have upper elementary student read this book
A unique feature is that along with the story there were also facts on the page and some really good diagrams
I would have upper elementary student read this book
April 15, 2019
AR 5.5
February 22, 2020
Great illustrations of each category of tornado
January 12, 2021
My son was obsessed with tornadoes. This book answered all of his questions and more. It was slightly over his head but that was my fault. Would totally recommend.
April 21, 2022
Good explanation for children.
Read
October 14, 2022I think this book was cool. It was about different kinds of tornadoes and the damages they do towards society.
April 17, 2023
Engaging, informative
July 16, 2023
My son's favorite book about tornadoes. Very informational, but not so prosaic as to be too long to read before bedtime.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews