Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Funny, relatable classroom antics mixed with life lessons.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Buddy and Bea are together again in TINY TORNADOES, this time trying to help their class sort all the books into categories after Ms. Maple dumped them all out of their bins -- and to figure out what their class name should be before the other second graders choose something even cooler. There are lots of questions and conflicts during the book sorting, and Ms. Maple's class' rivalry with Mr. Jabari's second grade classroom gets heated. Between Bea doing something in Mr. Jabari's class that Buddy can't believe and the arguments over books, Buddy isn't sure he's in the right place this year.
Is It Any Good?
Having the kids categorize the classroom's books can lead to many great discussions, and the way the kids relate to on one another is delightfully fun to read. In Tiny Tornadoes, the classroom's problem-solving skills are tested with a lot of open-ended questions, and Ms. Maple helps the kids identify the root of the issue that's bothering them and learn new ways to find solutions. Along with life lessons, this is a fun, funny reflection of second grade and the way kids navigate friendships, feelings, and big questions. Young readers will love the expressive art and fast-paced, utterly relatable plot.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the kids in Tiny Tornadoes got so worked up about the classes' names. Do you think something else was bothering them?
How would you approach the book-sorting work in the classroom? What do you think of the ways the kids categorized the books?
Buddy isn't so sure about Bea. What do you think it's like to be friends with someone you aren't sure you get along with?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Kris Mukai
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Friendship , STEM
- Character Strengths : Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Peachtree Publishers
- Publication date : July 11, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 5 - 8
- Number of pages : 80
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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