Hurricane Wolf by Diane Paterson

32 p., Whitman, 2006. A hurricane is scary, but with help from their parents, children can cope. Noah copes with a hurricane by drawing, verbalizing his feelings (likening the hurricane to a big, bad wolf, shouting at it to go away), helping his parents prepare their house, asking them for information, tracking the hurricane with his parents on the computer and TV, and turning his flashlight on sometimes to reassure his cat and dog. The story shows the family’s preparations and follows the hurricane’s progress over the house. Noah’s parents give helpful, reassuring, age-appropriate answers to his questions; for example, when he asks where birds go during hurricanes, his mother replies, “’They know what to do. Some find safe spots nearby and some fly far away.’”Afterward, Mom reassures Noah that the trees and plants that were damaged will grow back, and they can fix other things. As the story ends, Noah is helping to restore the house to its pre-hurricane state. An informational afterword gives facts about hurricanes and explains how to be safe. Illustrated with vibrant, expressive watercolors, this story offers information, reassurance, and ways to cope with this disaster. Ages 5-9

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery

Illustrated by Jean Cassels.32 p., Walker, 2008. In times of disaster, friendship can mean survival. Bobbi the dog Bob Cat are best friends who live in New Orleans. When Hurricane Katrina strikes, they are left behind, Bobbi chained to the porch. Bob Cat says with Bobbi, first at their house, and then in the streets, when Bobbi breaks free. After four months, they wander onto a construction site, and a worker who has a dog at the site begins to feed them. Whenever he tries to touch Bob Cat, Bobbi growls protectively. After a week, his supervisor will no longer allow the Two Bobbies on the site, and so the worker takes them to a shelter. At first, they are housed separately their, but Bobbi howls and barks until they're placed in the same room. The shelter volunteers make a startling discovery - Bob Cat is blind. He probably would not have survived without Bobbi's protection, and his friendship may have strengthened Bobbi's determination. Unable to find the Bobbies' family in spite of their best efforts, the shelter staff finds a loving adoptive family where Bobbi and Bob Cat live happily together with a human and another dog. With its gentle, earth-toned, gouache illustrations, this story is full of hope. Ages 4-8

We Shake in a Quake by Hannah Gelman Givon

Illustrated by David Uttal.32 p., Tricycle, 2006. Earthquakes are scary, but they're more tolerable when you can talk about your feelings, understand what's happened, and feel prepared for the next one. As this story begins, a little boy wakes to an earthquake. He stays under his bed, frightened but trying to stay calm, until the shaking stops, and his parents and his friendly puppy come to him. Mom and Daddy compliment the child's behavior, and everyone in the family acknowledges how scary the earthquake was. Although there's minor damage in the house, the adults reassure the child that this isn't important, because people stayed safe. The adults make a safety plan so that everyone can be prepared for any future earthquakes. The children want to help implement it, and so they go shopping with their Mom for non-perishable food (including food for the dog), bottled water, wet wipes, and battery-operated flashlights and radio. Afterward, they store the supplies in the hall closet. When the child goes back to school, kids talk about their feelings about the earthquake, the class practices "drop and cover" drills, and their teacher explains the geology of earthquakes. The child also copes with distressed feelings by drawing angry pictures and creating his own, controllable, earthquakes with toy block buildings. The book includes a glossary of earthquake-related words and an afterword on earthquake preparedness. With its energetic rhymes and Dr. Seuss-inspired watercolor illustrations, this story addresses both the practical and the emotional aspects of earthquakes in an accessible, child-friendly way. Ages 4-8

Francis the Earthquake Dog by Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Gordon Tessler

Illustrated by Brooke Scudder.32 p., Chronicle, 1996. When there's a natural disaster, it's important for kids to know that someone will always take care of them. In this story, set in San Francisco in 1906, Edward, the son of a widowed chef at the St. Francis Hotel, adopts a lost dog. He keeps the dog in the hotel cellar while he helps his father at work, but the dog escapes and can't be found. Edward worries about the dog. That night, there is a major earthquake. Edward and his Papa run outside, and ultimately to Golden Gate Park, where they camp with others. Papa cooks for the camp, and with others, he and Edward help to repair the damage from the earthquake. Edward misses the dog. When Papa worries about their future, Edward reminds him that they still have each other. While helping to rebuild the city, Edward and Papa haul rubble awy from the St. Francis Hotel, where they discover, and dig out, the dog - who finally becomes part of their family. Afterwords for children explain the nature of earthquakes and give advice for earthquake safety. With its charming, vividly colored illustrations, this story reassures children that they can cope with even a major disaster. Ages 5-8

Hurricane by David Wiesner

32 p., Clarion, 1990. When a tree falls during a hurricane, it becomes the scene of diverse, exciting adventures for two young brothers. George is in his early school years, and David is preschool age. When the tree is cut up and hauled away, they half-hope that another tree will fall during the next storm. The watercolor illustrations use light and shadow effectively to show the moods of the storm, its aftermath, and the imaginary worlds of the tree. This story shows children a way to use imagination to create hope out of a scary situation. Ages 3-8

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu

Illustrated by Peter Greste. 32 p., Scholastic, 2006.

If we keep our minds open, friendships can happen when we least expect them. In this remarkable true story, a baby hippopotamus named Owen and a 130-year-old tortoise named Mzee become the best of friends. Owen lived near a village in Kenya with his mother and their pod (group) of hippos, when a tsunami left him alone in the sea. With great difficulty, villagers and visitors rescued him, and he was taken to an animal sanctuary about 50 miles away. There he met Mzee, who was generally unfriendly to everyone except for the chief animal caretaker there. As soon as Owen arrived, he went right to Mzee and hid behind him, just as he might have hidden behind his mother. Mzee initially rejected this attention, but Owen persisted, and by the next morning, they were snuggling together. Soon, Owen began to eat, but only when he was with Mzee. The two animals became inseparable, playing affectionately together. Two years later, when this book was published, they remained the best of friends. Illustrated with color photographs, this story shows children that even in dire circumstances, completely unexpected friendships can form and can make all the difference in the world.

Ages 4-8
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: multicultural:

Hurricane! by Jonathan London

Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 32 p., Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1998.

A boy and his brother, who live in Puerto Rico, go snorkeling on an ordinary day, when a hurricane comes suddenly. The children, their parents, and their dog hurry in their car to a shelter. The hurricane shatters a window of the shelter. People sing "Silent Night" together, because it "made us feel better." When the storm is over, the family goes home, and finds their house still standing, although there is debris from trees. The boy feels that little has changed. The next day, he and his brother run to play at the beach again - everything is all right. This story shows that even in a disaster, there is a way to be safe, and the disaster will pass.

Ages 5-8
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: multicultural

This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort by Georgia Heard

46 p., Candlewick, 2002.

This Place I Know is an anthology of poems collected to offer comfort to the children who witnessed the tragedy of the World Trade Centers. Each poem is beautifully illustrated by a different distinguished artist. The poems acknowledge loss; one is an incantation against troubles. They remind children of the possibility of hope; encourage them to sustain their dreams; and speak of the comfort in having someone with you; the constancy of nature in spite of upheaval; the intrinsic liveliness of cities; and the potential for unity of people around the world. I only take issue with one poem, which says repeatedly, "Do not grieve," because when there is loss, we must grieve. This deeply moving collection is a source of support for children who have experienced loss or trauma in their many forms.

Ages: 6-11
Cultural Context: multicultural

Earthquake by Milly Lee

Illustrated by Yangsook Choi. 32 p., Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001.

A girl and her family flee San Francisco's Chinatown during the 1906 earthquake and fires. They quickly pack all that they can carry in a cart, and leave their home for a nearby square, where many neighbors have gathered. Because of the fires, a police officer directs them to Golden Gate Park, a difficulty journey through the city. The children help by clearing a path through the rubble as their father pulls the cart. According to the afterword (which indicates that the girl in the story is the author's mother), their mother and grandmother are unable to walk for any substantial distance because their feet had been bound. People, dogs, cats, and horses are frightened. Finally, the family finds safety at a tent city in Golden Gate Park. Children will feel that others have been through disasters, too, and will understand that families can be safe when they stick together and help each other, even if it's hard.

Ages: 5-7
Cultural Context: multicultural

Fat Chance Thanksgiving by Patricia Lakin

Illustrated by Stacey Schuett. 32 pages. Whitman, 2001.

Making connections can be an important part of coping with disaster. When a fire destroys Carla and Mama's apartment building, all Carla has left is a book about the pilgrims' Thanksgiving, which becomes a source of hope as she waits for a new home. After nearly a year in a hotel, they get a new apartment two weeks before Thanksgiving. She wants to plan a feast, but all Mama says is "Fat chance." Carla enlists the help of a new friend to hold a potluck in the apartment lobby, and by the end of the story, many new friends share a feast. Children will see how imagination, problem solving, and persistence promote healing from the losses of a fire.

Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman

42 p., Putnam, 2002.

The John J. Harvey is a fireboat that was built in 1931 and fought many fires. By 1995, it was to be sold for scrap; five years later, a group of friends decided to buy it just for fun. They had it restored, but people still said it could never help fight a fire. When the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11, 2001, and fires broke out, the owners of the Harvey volunteered to use it to help. It was used to fight fires when other methods could not work. "The Harvey was a hero." A limitation is the use of the pronoun "she" to refer to the boat. But children might identify with the Harvey because of its apparent inability to manage disasters; if so, they may feel that they, too, can be heroes.

Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural

There's a Big, Beautiful World Out There! by Nancy Carlson

32 pages. Viking, 2002.

Although there are a lot of scary things and situations in the world, if we hide from them, we miss positive aspects of life also. The author acknowledges - in detail - that there's a lot to be scared of, including mean-looking dogs, thunderstorms, crawly things, frightening stories in the newspaper, public speaking, and even people who don't look like you. She acknowledges the wish to hide under your covers when you're scared. But she also points out all that you'd miss if you hid under the covers. For example, if you hid from a thunderstorm, you'd also miss the rainbow that comes afterward. You might even miss learning important things about yourself, or making new friends. She encourages kids to allow themselves to experience the world, in spite of their fears. The courage and optimism she writes about are all the more meaningful in light of a note saying that she wrote this book on September 12, 2001. Children can learn from this book that while their fears are legitimate, it's still possible that they're outweighed by positive experiences in life.

Ages: 3-8
Cultural Context: multicultural

September Roses by Jeannette Winter

40 pp. Farrar/Frances Foster, 2004.

Two sisters in South Africa, professional rose growers, pack 2,400 roses for a flower show to be held in New York City. They arrive on September 11, 2001, witnessing the devastation of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Because there is no place for the sisters to go, they stay in the airport until a man offers them a place to stay. In return, they offer him their roses. He brings them to Union Square, where the roses are needed. The sisters arrange the roses on the grass in a memorial to the two towers. This story offers children a way to be kind and to create meaning in a devastating time.

Ages: 5-8
Cultural Context: multicultural