Nonfiction books will help your preschoolers understand the mechanics of rain and thunderstorms.
Fiction picture books will help take some of the fear out of thunderstorms when your little one might be afraid.
Books About Thunderstorms
Below, I’ve featured just a handful of picture books that will help your preschoolers learn more about thunderstorms.
You should be able to find them at your local library or bookstore. If you can’t find them locally, you can click each image cover to purchase them on Amazon.
National Geographic Readers: Storms!
Thunder and lightning, monsoons, hurricanes, tornadoes… the facts and photos in this book will blow you away!
A loud clap of thunder booms, and rattles the windows of Grandma’s old farmhouse. “This is Thunder Cake baking weather,” calls Grandma, as she and her granddaughter hurry to gather the ingredients around the farm.
Greta can’t stop thinking all day long about the dark cloud that seems to be following her. Finally forced to confront the storm that follows, she learns it brings good things, too.
Franklin is afraid of thunderstorms. When a storm approaches while he is playing at Fox’s house, a flash of lightning sends Franklin into his shell. He refuses to come out — even for snacks — until his friends make him laugh with their tall tales about what causes storms.
Above the Clouds: What Really Happens in Heaven During a Thunderstorm
This book tells the tale of why there are rumbling sounds from the sky, why raindrops fall, why the wind whistles, and why the lightning strikes. Your little one will now have a positive attitude and fears will be calmed about a thunderstorm.
Boom! A crash of thunder follows a flash of lightning. Bel the Weather Girl and Dylan are having a slumber party, but now he’s hiding under the covers! Bel tells Dylan that thunderstorms aren’t so scary once you understand them.
Did you know that lightning bolts can be over a mile long? Or that they may come from clouds that are ten miles high? Storms can be scary, but not if you know what causes them.
As thunder and lightning approach, a family gathers inside to play, sing, eat, and snuggle together until the weather clears. This sweet story captures both the excitement of a thunderstorm and the reassurance children need during a storm.
When thunder roars and lightning flashes, Raccoon is afraid to be alone in his home. So he hurries out to see if any of his neighbors in Thistle Hollow have room to spare for a friend in need.
Even though the power goes out, Little Critter is prepared! With flashlights in hand, the Critter family bakes potatoes for dinner in the wood stove and stays safe. Lightning and thunder can be scary, but really it’s all just a big storm!
The clouds are gathering above a city street and soon — tap, tap, boom, boom! As a thunderstorm rolls in, people of all stripes race to get away from the crackling rain and wind.
Which of these books about thunderstorms will you read first?
Teaching Resources
Want a simple yet eye-catching way to teach children about weather? This 13 piece weather playset is perfect!
Learning the weather can be so fun with this felt weather wheel! The embroidery featuring sunny, partly sunny, cloudy, snow, rainbow, rain and thunderstorm makes it perfect for everyday use.
Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.
