TORNADOES
"They've been called winds of death and nature's most terrifying spectacles. They've been labeled random killers and the most violent creatures of the atmosphere. They've been described as a huge elephant trunk searching for food . . . a delicate dance of ghosts . . . a monstrous, writhing snake biting the ground . . . the snapping of a bull whip . . . a giant column surrounded by silvery ribbons .. . . "

WEATHER
"You may have heard the expression, 'Everyone talks about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it.' Well, we do talk about weather all the time, because this powerful force of nature affects everything we do. As sophisticated as the modern world is, we are still pretty much at the mercy of the weather. We cancel picnics when it rains and sometimes get a day off from school when it snows. . . "

ANTARCTICA
"Do you like subzero weather? How about six months of darkness each year? Do howling blizzards make your day? Does a long walk in hurricane-force winds sound like fun? If so, then Antarctica is the place for you. The fifth largest continent is the coldest, driest, iciest, windiest, and highest-lying area on Earth. It also has the fewest people living on it-- only about one thousand in winter and four. . . "

SUN
"In the grand scheme of things, the Sun is no big deal. It's just another medium-size star in a remote corner of the Milky Way galaxy. There are billions of others in the universe just like it. But to us here on Earth, the Sun is hugely important. Without it, our world would be a frozen rock wandering in space. Among other things, the Sun gives us food, energy, seasons, weather, calendars, flowers,. . . "

EARTH
"Spread out a map of the world. What you see on its depends on the kind of map you have. Does it show cities and countries? Mountains and valleys? Maybe weather patterns? The variety of features is so great that one map just can't handle it all. Earth is part of a nine-planet solar system within the Milky Way galaxy. Its size and location aren't very impressive. We inhabit the third planet. . . "

EXTREME WEATHER
"Earth is warming up. The first six months of 2006 were the warmest in the United States since record-keeping began in 1895. In fact, the five hottest years of the last century have all occurred since 1998. Why does that matter? It means the planet's climate is changing."

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

• Weather & Climate (Earth's Changing Landscape). By John Corn, Smart Apple Media, 2004.
• Weather and Climate (Discovery Channel School Science). By Carol Harrison, Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004.
• Climate and the Environment (21st Century Science). By Serge D Amico, World Almanac Library, 2002.
• Global Warming : The Complete Briefing. By John T. Houghton, Cambridge University Press, 1997.

ADULT BOOKS

• The Long Summer: How Climate Changed Civilization. By Brian M. Fagan, Basic Books, 2004.
• The No-Nonsense Guide to Climate Change (No-Nonsense Guides). By Dinyar Godrej, Verso, 2001.
• The Change in the Weather : People, Weather, and the Science of Climate. By William K. Stevens, Delta, 2001.

WEBSITES

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: www.noaa.gov
• The Space Weather Center: www.spaceweathercenter.org/SWOP/1.html