The weather forecast for the evening of October 15, 1954 was simply “rain tonight.” In fact, the hurricane was a devastating one. The storm swept from North Carolina up into Canada. In Toronto, Ontario, the official death count was 81, but it was probably much higher because the many people living in the ravines were not part of the census.

Penny Doucette was 8 years old on the night the storm raged in Toronto. She, her parents, and their elderly neighbor found themselves clinging to the roof of the house as they watched the house next door float away on the swollen Humber River. Augmenting the dramatic story are illustrations, archival photographs, and fascinating information about hurricanes: their causes, their history, and lore.

Published for the fiftieth anniversary of Hurricane Hazel, this is a valuable resource for young readers.


From the Trade Paperback edition.