Tornado hunter : getting inside the most violent storms on Earth /

Adult/High School-This is an informative and entertaining account of the people, science, and history surrounding nature's most violent and unpredictable force. The Wizard of Oz notwithstanding, here DOROTHY is the fictitious tornado probe from the movie Twister, TOTO stands for "Totable Tornado Observatory," The Tinman is a steel-encased photographic probe, The Wicked Witch is an aerial tornado surveillance mission, and The Flying Monkey is a tornado video downlink. It's pretty obvious that tornado chasers are quite partial to Oz. The authors admit they hunt tornadoes for the rush, but also to gather additional information needed to create more accurate warning signals, hoping to give people more time to prepare and get to safety. They note, too, that more is unknown than known about tornadoes. A glossary is interspersed throughout the chapters, and specific steps for a successful survival plan and suggestions for an annual family drill are included. Whether teens actually chase and find a tornado or simply enjoy or fear them from afar, this book offers all the information needed to weather these most dangerous natural occurrences.-Joanne Ligamari, Twin Rivers United School District, Sacramento, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.