HURRICANES AND CIRCUS ANIMALS!

It is the evening of a huge hurricane that's about to sweep through Florida. Chase's dad is a great predictor of where disaster will strike next and he's got his business to help people rebuild their lives after a natural disaster. When Chase goes to school the day of the hurricane, his principal is convinced the hurricane isn't going to hit anywhere near the school or the town in which they live. Boy, is she wrong! The storm sends Chase and his new friend Nicole on a wild dangerous adventure, that involves an escaped cheetah and a pregnant elephant! 

Roland Smith has written an excitement-packed trilogy of death-defying tales, starting with STORM RUNNERS, and followed by THE SURGE and ERUPTION. Once you pick up the first book, you'll be in a hurry to get the next! For grades 4-7.

NEW ORLEANS GETS A HARD HURRICANE HIT!

Hurricane Katrina just seems like a bad dream for those of us who saw it on the news. But Saint Louis Armstrong Beach was IN THE HURRICANE! It's all because his dog Shadow won't show up when the town is being evacuated. Saint's a good boy, who always does what he's told, but he loves that dog more than anything (except maybe his neighbor Mona Lisa). Saint loves the dog so much that before the hurricane, he goes down to the French Quarter with his clarinet to play music for money. Music he spends on a collar, leash and food for Shadow. But sometimes a leash just can't keep a dog from doing what a dog does. SAINT LOUIS ARMSTRONG BEACH by Brenda Woods is a good, quick read that factors in all the culture and excitement of New Orleans, and the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina. For grades 4 and up.