As the sky turns gray and clouds begin to gather, Mouse, Bird, and a handful of other critters head for shelter. From 1 to 10, the animals scurry into a cozy hill hollow, where they huddle together while the storm thunders outside. By morning, the storm has passed--but the animals still hear a rumble and a grumble. What could it be? Once the critters find the source, out they run, 10 to 1, but by now the storm has turned into a bright, beautiful morning.
The Big Storm is a creative way to sneak in some learning time with numbers. The story counts up to ten and then back down, while telling a sweet story of wildlife seeking cover in a thunderstorm. On each page, the number stands out in a larger bolder font than the rest of the type. The pictures are created with watercolors and seem simple at first glace, but reveal fun details when viewed closely. Rhyming makes for a smooth sound when read aloud, which helps your child follow along and maintain interest; "Leaves stated to swirl. Squirrel ran for cover. Then there were 3 in the hill hollow."
The sentences are simple and short, so they are ideal for your little one to follow along with at first and later when they are learning to read. While reading, ask your child to find the number on each page, or point to the number and ask them to identify it. You can play the same game with letters or even naming the animal characters in the story too.
When I read this with my then two year-old friend Dano, I stressed the message of sharing, as all of the animals shared the same hiding spot and were all the better for it. They could huddle together for warmth and to feel safe. I helped relate this lesson to Dano by asking him who he would want with him during a thunder storm to make him feel warm and safe. He answered his mom, dad, and pet dinosaur.
--Audra
Nancy Tafuri began drawing at a very young age. She recalls that her mother "thought [she] would make a great interior decorator." But Tafuri had other ideas: "The more I thought about it the more I realized that I didn't want to fix up other people's houses. I had no idea that you could grow up to be a children's book illustrator."
Nancy's first big break as an illustrator for children's books came when she was given the opportunity to work on George Shannon's The Piney Woods Peddler in 1980. She modeled her illustrations on her husband and the old Pennsylvania gristmill they were living in at the time, and the book was published in 1981. The Piney Woods Peddler proceeded to win a Children's Choice citation from the International Reading Association and Tafuri's output has been prolific ever since.
Nancy says that when she was little she loved animals and wanted to draw them. As an illustrator, she always works very hard on "getting all the facts correct in my illustrations. Each animal or rock formation has to be correct. Even though my books aren't nonfiction, the feeling of accuracy has to be there."
Nancy has received several citations and awards for her work, including the Caldecott Honor Award for Have You Seen My Duckling? She lives in the country with her husband and daughter.