National Geographic Extreme Weather Survival Guide

December 1, 2014

Part educational text, part how-to guide, this handbook divides extreme weather into four general categories: wet, dry, hot, and cold. Browsers will find the frequent, high-quality photos engrossing, illustrating as they do phenomena such as forked lightning, rooftops surrounded by floodwaters, exploding wildfires, and ice-encrusted eyelashes. Coverage of each topic (e.g., hurricanes, drought, heat waves, and blizzards) follows a similar format: an introduction followed by checklists for "How To Prepare," "How To Survive," and "How To Recover." Throughout the entries are boxed notes: "Gear and Gadgets," "Good Ideas," and advice for pet owners, among others. First-person accounts portray positive examples of experienced storm chasers or pet rescue teams, as well as stories from people who made mistakes, including a boater who ventured into an oncoming storm and a New Jersey resident who stayed home to ride out Hurricane Sandy. VERDICT Readers intending to use this as a reference will want to purchase a copy to keep at home. Libraries may wish to purchase for the book's excellent photographs, along with the browsable short sections and checklists. A young readers' version, Extreme Weather: Surviving Tornadoes, Sandstorms, Hailstorms, Blizzards, Hurricanes, and More! is available through National Geographic Kids.--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX

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