The weather forecast on Oct. 15, 1954 said only “rain tonight” (hence the book’s title), but for hundreds of Toronto residents, Hurricane Hazel was a horrific disaster. Born at the height of the storm in a hospital less than a kilometre from the flooded Humber River, author Steve Pitt has spent the past several years researching the hurricane that drowned more than 80 people and swept away scores of homes. He focuses here on eight-year-old Penny Doucette and her family, whose story encapsulates the event for him.

By recounting the tale from Penny’s perspective, Pitt makes what might otherwise seem an impersonal event relevant and poignant for young readers. Gripping, moving, and gently humorous, Rain Tonight’s succinct text features a near-seamless balance of fact and non-fiction narrative. Pitt masterfully captures the fear and sense of loss felt by the Doucettes and other residents, as well as the spirit of fellowship and community that often emerges in trying times. The book ends abruptly, however, just as the Doucette family is rescued by two brave men in a motor boat. A brief note in the epilogue describes the family’s life post-storm, but I was left wanting more details about Hurricane Hazel’s aftermath.

Sidebars peppered throughout offer interesting tidbits on hurricanes, and spot illustrations by Heather Collins as well as archival photographs are a good visual complement to the text. Although Rain Tonight focuses on a specific storm, the book’s appeal is universal for anyone interested in hurricane lore and history.