Storm Blown

Gr 5-8–A suspenseful tale of survival surrounding the fictitious megastorm Valerie. Readers experience the first awakenings of the storm from Alejo’s point of view in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Alejo leaves the comforts of his summer job at a local tourist resort to search for his Padrino, who lives in a neighborhood that threatens to be swallowed by the raging ocean. He steals a van, breaks his wrist, and avoids being washed out to sea. A camera crew on a news helicopter rescues him moments before his home begins to fall apart. Farther north in New Orleans, Emily shares the story of a neighborhood store that is bustling with activity and whose shelves are quickly emptying. While her mother cares for her brother, who is recovering from surgery, Emily visits a park lagoon and some of the wild animals. Tired of getting in the way and being overlooked, she becomes disconnected from phone calls and the rapidly updating news of Valerie’s status from a tropical storm to a megastorm. Told from alternating points of view, the plot unfolds quickly and leaves readers in suspense. Rich with information about birds, their behaviors in response to natural disasters, climate change, and regional life along Hurricane Alley, this title offers numerous opportunities for curriculum connections.