Nick Courage

This story really took my breath away...and reading the Author's Note at book's end, totally explains why. Aside from the author's writing talent (which is obvious to this reader), it seems they too have been in the path of these natural disasters... dreading its approach, hoping for the path to change, wishing to be missed and yet not wishing it on anyone else all at the same time. For me, it went hand in hand with being able to aptly describe not only what was happening, but the feelings behind it...and from multiple angles no less!

As heart-wrenching as it was, I adored following the story from the multiple sets of eyes we were given. With Alejo, we were able to see not only from a child's point of view, but from an islanders point of view...a distinct difference as they don't have the luxury of running to another state per se to escape the big bad weather phenomena. Emily allowed us a peek into the lives of those that live in areas built up because they are gorgeous and profitable, and yet will always ultimately belong to Mother Nature. Then we had Emily's brother Elliot, living a life sheltered thanks to his failing health, but unable to truly break free of those holds as he's still recovering his strength. Then there's the grandparents, parents, NCWC professionals, and a few random people woven into the story fabric...all utilized to round out the story because the way it's viewed, the way it's processed, the way it affects you, all depends on your perspective. Speaking of which...

There were three characters you DIDN'T expect to "hear" from, but I was most pleased to see included in the role of narrator...the animal cast. That's right. Now, we're not talking about singing pigs, or dancing monkeys, but rather a petrel (seabird), a turtle, and a goose. What? Did you forget that these natural disasters affect the wildlife too? Well, they certainly do...and while it may seem like escape would be hard for a turtle, but easy for a bird, think again. Honestly, I think this portion of the story was just as tear inducing as the rest, but I appreciated its inclusion nonetheless.

I highly recommend this book to the target audience and beyond. It gives a well rounded look at a truly terrifying situation with encouragement for how we can help prevent this type of fiction becoming reality. But, if I could ask the author one thing though, I know just what it would be. WHAT ABOUT THE GOOSE?


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own… (mere)

Where was a book like this when I was a middle grade reader because, wow, this was an adventure and a half! Natural disasters have always fascinated me. I think it was that if I knew more about them, they were less scary. Or, well, maybe the same amount of scary but I at least felt informed. Either way, I would have loved reading Storm Blown as a young reader. As it stands, I loved it a whole lot as an adult reader as well.

Nick Courage pits a whole cast of characters against the might of Megastorm Valerie. I could only watch in mixed parts horror and awe as the storm raged, and lives were put in the way of it. I loved how Courage doesn't just show how storms of this magnitude affect people and their cities, but also how they affect animals in their wake as well. It was also so refreshing to see people making realistic decisions because, as we all well know, people don't always evacuate when they're told to. Those decisions, and the consequences that came along with them, were half of the draw of this book. It's not hard to love characters when they feel like real people that you'd honestly be worried about.

As for the plot, well it flies by so quickly that there isn't time to blink. Courage manages to ratchet up the tension, without making things too scary for the younger set of readers that might pick up this book. That's not to say that there aren't times were things feel a bit dire. The end of this book had me so tense that I thought I might fall of the bus seat I was sitting on. However there's always a little inkling of hope. Just enough to keep you rooting for the character, person or animal, and hope that they come through everything okay. I teared up at the ending of this book y'all, and I make no apologies for it.

The science of storms is well mapped out in this book, for sure. If you've ever been interested at all in how megastorms develop, or the type of damage that they can cause, this is absolutely a story that you'll love. It's nice to be reminded that the majesty of nature contains things that are infinitely beautiful, and also absolutely terrifying. It's that balance between the two that makes living on our planet such an amazing experience.

Read this! Read it with your young reader and discuss it, read it by yourself, or read it with a book group. Trust me, you won't be sorry. This story is exciting, and also timely I think. As our climate changes, and storms like this become more normal, I think they need this kind of discussion. I honestly hope to see more from Nick Courage very soon.… (mere)