Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gorgeous art shows community strength after disaster.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
A dock is a young boy's favorite place in John Rocco's HURRICANE, but when a fierce storm rolls through, his neighborhood is seriously damaged, and the dock is destroyed. After helping his neighbors clean their yards and streets and fix their homes, he sets out to fix the dock himself. Bit by bit he makes progress, but the real changes happen when the neighbors show up to help him. Together, they rebuild the dock better than it was before, making it a place for everyone to share and enjoy.
Is It Any Good?
Caldecott Honoree John Rocco's gorgeous illustrations bring readers straight to the heart of every emotion, bridging the gap between the description of a natural disaster and what readers feel. Hurricane has a tenderness throughout the story, from the personal connection the boy feels to his favorite place to the neighbors helping each other clean up and rebuild. The power and strength of community is on full display here, reminding readers young and old that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. The facts about how hurricanes form and the parts of a dock are great for curious minds.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about natural disasters they've lived through, from both the child's perspective like in Hurricane, or from an adult's perspective. How did you feel while it was happening? What about after?
What parts of your neighborhood do you think the community would rally together to rebuild?
What other books about natural disasters have you read?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : John Rocco
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : September 28, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Hardback
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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