Page 1
Far out over the warm ocean waters,
clusters of storms join together;
lightning lashes— thunder thumps.
The wind grows stronger and begins to spin
the clouds into a tight curl.
Page 2
A hurricane is brewing!
People gather powdered milk, beans, and other items, enough food and water for three days.
Page 3
Fathers flicker flashlights on and off. Batteries are tested,
radios tried, and shutters snapped shut. Mothers drag plastic
jugs from dark cabinet corners. "Fill each one with fresh water;
we've no time to waste."
Page 4
A young boy stops and stares at a
squirrel scampering up a tree. The boy
wonders— what do wild animals do
before and during a hurricane?
Page 5
On a reef below the water's surface,
fish band together in large schools.
They bolt this way and that, back and forth,
twisting and turning— searching for food to fill their
stomachs and for shelter in the deep grooves and caves of the coral.
They know!
Page 6
Dolphin pods squeeze closer—whistling and
buzzing at one another. Their silver bodies
streak through the waves heading for the
safety of the open sea. They know!
Page 7
Sharks explode from the shallows
of a nearby bay. Instinctively, they
head for the safety of the deep
blue water. They know!
Page 8
Lobsters crawl along the ocean floor.
Their antennae twitch as they seek the
safety of holes hidden in the sand.
They know!
Page 9
Offshore, manatees
settle near seagrass
beds where they'll
have plenty to eat.
Slowly, they sink to
the bottom and wait.
Page 10
Up and down the
coast, birds gather
in flocks. "Kwa, kwa,"
calls a noisy seagull
as it soars inland.
Herons and pelicans
glide toward the
mangrove islands.
They huddle there
among the twisted
roots. Waiting!
Page 11
Crocodiles may crawl to open water or into
deep canals and rivers that criss-cross the land.
Concealed below the water's surface—they wait!
Page 12
High above, dots of color sprinkle the sky.
Butterflies dip down low, then flutter
upward searching for shelter.
Some wedge under rocks;
others hide in hollow trees.
They know!
Page 13
Farther inland, rabbits race across the land
looking for their burrows. Mice scurry through the
grass toward higher ground. They know!
Page 14
Dark clouds roll across the ocean.
Sheets of rain fall. The wind howls, bending trees
toward the ground. The hurricane is here!
