Catherine Ard spent her childhood in Yorkshire, Northern Ireland, then London and West Sussex, where she first discovered a love of reading and her talent for writing. She studied French and English at Liverpool University, then spent 15 years working in London and Bath editing children's non-fiction books. She has gone on to be commissioned to write for publishers including Macmillan, Little Gestalten, Quarto, Templar and Thames and Hudson on topics ranging from astronauts to magicians, but her main interests lie in wildlife and the environment. She now lives in Bristol and combines her passion for books with her love of the great outdooRômolo D'Hipólito is a Brazilian artist and illustrator. He is the winner of the 2019 Golden Pinwheel Special Mention Award and the 2018 Ibero-America Ilustra Catalog Official Selection.

This thoroughly engaging, dramatically illustrated offering about storms and their many manifestations indeed promises science, magic, and meaning. The book begins with accessible meteorologic and technical explanations of various stormy attributes (general weather, thunder and lightning, wind, snow, hail, tides, dust); concluding sections cover the science of predicting and preparing for potentially dangerous weather, measuring and mitigating storms' impact, and monitoring changing weather patterns for the future. In between, there's ample coverage of the magical aspects of extreme weather. Spreads profile myths and legends from six cultures (Norse, Caddo, Incan, Hawai'ian, Nigerian, and Indian). The meaning of storms is addressed in the chapter dedicated to "Storms in the Arts." There are references to how cataclysmic weather plays roles in literary works and movies (Wuthering Heights, The Tempest, Frozen) and has inspired artists (Georgia O'Keeffe) and musicians (Antonio Vivaldi). There's also a spread on storm photographers and the challenges they face. All of these topics are supported by dynamic illustrations in vivid hues that spread across pages and amply capture the surging energy of stormy conditions. There is a glossary but no notes or bibliography. Still, this visual treat on inclement weather will surely entice browsers and spark plenty of interest.