"Hurricane Hunters! Riders on the Storm" by Chris Demarest places young readers inside a weather reconnaissance plane as its crew goes on a mission into the eye of a hurricane.

Children often have a different perspective of weather than adults.

Thunderstorms can frighten young children while adults might be thankful for the rainfall. Mounds of snow can delight children yet be a source of irritation for adults. While adults may have a keener understanding of weather changes and what those changes mean for our welfare, children are curious about weather, and today's reviewed books contain interesting aspects of weather and how we are affected by it in a wide variety of ways.

Whether it is a novel that encompasses a variety of weather changes that endanger life, a portrayal of men and women who track hurricanes to help save lives or the excitement and joy of a summertime thunderstorm, each book reviewed teaches something of interest and value in an engaging, enjoyable way.

The following book is available at many public libraries.<B>"Thunder from the Sea"</B> by Joan Hiatt Harlow; McElderry Books; 256 pages; read aloud: age 8 and older; read yourself: age 8 to 9 and older.In 1929, 13-year-old Tom Campbell had lived the last 10 years of his life at an orphanage in Newfoundland. When fisherman Enoch Murray and his wife, Fiona, ask the orphanage for a boy to come live with them on Back o' the Moon Island and work with Enoch, the orphanage sends Tom.Tom has always wanted a family and a dog, and Enoch and Fiona are very kind and good to Tom.The teen thinks maybe he has found the family he has longed for, and adding to his good fortune, Tom rescues a Newfoundland dog from the sea, names him Thunder, and the two become the best of friends. But when Fiona becomes pregnant and word comes that Thunder's owner has been found, Tom is crestfallen.Will the Murray's still want Tom once their baby is born, and will Thunder be taken away from him as well?When Fiona needs help to deliver her baby, Tom and Thunder are the only ones at home. The only doctor lives in the village, far across the frozen bay. Despite a raging blizzard, Tom and Thunder transport Fiona by sled through the blinding snow and cold to save her life and the life of her child.Beautifully written, "Thunder from the Sea" strongly echoes what it means to be a family and what it is to love and be loved in return.

<B>Library:</B> North Trails Public Library, 1553 West Sunbury Road, West Sunbury<B>Library Director:</B> Kathy Kline<B>Choices this week:</B> <B>"Valentino"</B> by Andrea Wolf; <B>"Big Max" </B>by Kin Platt; <B>"Pendragon"</B> series by D.J. MacHale

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>"Hurricane Hunters! Riders on the Storm"</B> written and illustrated by Chris Demarest; McElderry, 2006; 40 pages; $17.95 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 to 5 and older; read yourself: age 8 and older.As beach-goers enjoy a tranquil day on the southern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the National Hurricane Center in Miami is tracking a hurricane heading toward the United States. They need more information that will help predict how big the storm will get, where landfall might take place, and when. This information is needed to help save lives, and the center knows who to call for help — the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the Hurricane Hunters.Through fast-paced, exciting text and vivid illustrations, author/illustrator Demarest places readers in the cockpit as they join the Hurricane Hunters on their mission, plunging into the storm.<B>"Like a Hundred Drums"</B> by Annette Griessman; illustrated by Julie Monks; Houghton Mifflin, 2006; 32 pages; $15 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 to 8; read yourself: age 7 to 8."It started quietly, with a small flutter of leaves on the old oak tree. They did not notice it … as they played in the shade. No one noticed, but it was coming." Then one by one, from the birds to the cows to the dog, cat, other farm animals and finally, the people, they smelled the wild, clean scent of the fast-approaching thunderstorm.Echoing our primal awareness of oncoming weather changes, this gentle story perfectly portrays the excitement of a summer thunderstorm.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail: kendal@sunlink.net.