Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Summary:  Three children play on a sunny day.  Then dark clouds roll in, and suddenly, “ZAP! CLAP! BOOM!” there’s a clap of thunder and lightning is seen in the distance.  The children head for home and three goats run for shelter as the rain arrives.  Safe in their house, the kids watch the lightning and rain.  Then just as quickly, the storm moves on, and both sets of kids head outside again, as “the world now shines.”  Includes additional information on the science of thunderstorms, as well as a list of books and websites.  40 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  The rhyming text is very catchy, and kids will enjoy saying the repeated “Zap! Clap! Boom!” refrain.  The dramatic illustrations capture all the phases of a thunderstorm, and the back matter makes this a useful resource for older readers.

Cons:  I thought the kids could have moved toward home a little quicker when the storm arrived.