Maxy Survives the Hurricane

PreS-Gr 2–An adorable brown dog experiences a hurricane in his country of Puerto Rico in this gently reassuring, bilingual picture book. Maxy lives in Puerto Rico with his human Clarita, her parents, and her grandparents, all of whom have brown skin and black or graying hair. Maxy enjoys playing with Clarita and snuggling with his favorite toy Mr. Bat. One day, he notices the humans rushing around and making preparations of all kinds, including putting Mr. Bat away, nailing windows, and buying supplies. Hurricane Maria arrives early in the morning and Maxy snuggles with Clarita as they both work through their fear. They emerge to find their beloved country in poor shape with downed wires, flooded streets, and no electricity. Slowly but surely, their life gets back to normal, but when another rain storm comes in, Maxy is afraid. His humans explain that not all rain means a hurricane and that rain and water are essential to life. This simple, straightforward tale will serve the dual purpose of providing a window for kids who haven’t experienced a hurricane before and providing a mirror for kids who have. Cartoon-style illustrations reinforce the familiar, calming tone of the story.