A girl who's always ready for emergencies that never come faces a hurricane – and winds up helping her little brother feel safe as they evacuate (with his annoying pink bear Useless Joe), and when their home is damaged.

You can use this story to talk with your children about their fears of big emergencies. With heart and humor, kids can experience her family's real-life experience of having an emergency plan and a Save The Day Kit (Go Bag), evacuating to a shelter and camping out with other families in an elementary school classroom during the storm – then coming home to cope with their damaged home and a week without electricity where they visit the library and a museum.

Throughout it all, she takes action and keeps her little brother feeling safe as her family, friends and neighbors all take action and work together before, during and after the storm – in this celebration of community and kindness.

Inspired by kind people working hard to help after two catastrophic 2024 hurricanes in Tampa Bay.

You can find an illustrated version of this story on the Sparks Creative Stories YouTube channel – and this story in Spanish!

An inclusive audio story welcoming dyslexic and autistic kids, and everybody who loves stories :)

written and produced by Sheila Cowley

performed by Vickie Daignault and Jim Sorenson

directed by James Rayfield

Feature image by Kirk Ke Wang from his "Foul Play" series of doodles based on hurricane forecast maps – kirkkewang.com

with many thanks to

The City of St Petersburg FL

The City of Tampa FL

Creative Clay St Pete

Daystar Life Center

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

Kirk Ke Wang

Margo Hammond

Reach St Pete

St Pete Free Clinic

Tampa Parks and Recreation

The Woodson African American Museum of Florida

You can find this audio story and illustrated video in Spanish on our Sparks Creative Stories YouTube channel – ¡Un Día de Desastre y Fatalidad! Cómo Sentirse Seguro Cuando Da Miedo.

#kidsandstorms

#resilience

#kidpower