RATING: 3/5 stars!
Author: Tamara Ellis Smith
Publisher: Schwartz and Wade
Source: Publisher
Release date: July 14th, 2015
Find it on Goodreads here!
SUMMARY (from Goodreads):
In this stunning debut novel, two very different characters—a black boy who loses his home in Hurricane Katrina and a white boy in Vermont who loses his best friend in a tragic accident—come together to find healing.
A hurricane, a tragic death, two boys, one marble. How they intertwine is at the heart of this beautiful, poignant book. When ten-year-old Zavion loses his home in Hurricane Katrina, he and his father are forced to flee to Baton Rouge. And when Henry, a ten-year-old boy in northern Vermont, tragically loses his best friend, Wayne, he flees to ravaged New Orleans to help with hurricane relief efforts—and to search for a marble that was in the pocket of a pair of jeans donated to the Red Cross.
Rich with imagery and crackling with hope, this is the unforgettable story of how lives connect in unexpected, even magical, ways.
“In Smith’s poetic hands, this poignant story barrels across the pages and into the reader’s heart, reminding us that magic can arise from the deepest tragedy.” —Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor Award winner and two-time National Book Award Finalist
A hurricane, a tragic death, two boys, one marble. How they intertwine is at the heart of this beautiful, poignant book. When ten-year-old Zavion loses his home in Hurricane Katrina, he and his father are forced to flee to Baton Rouge. And when Henry, a ten-year-old boy in northern Vermont, tragically loses his best friend, Wayne, he flees to ravaged New Orleans to help with hurricane relief efforts—and to search for a marble that was in the pocket of a pair of jeans donated to the Red Cross.
Rich with imagery and crackling with hope, this is the unforgettable story of how lives connect in unexpected, even magical, ways.
“In Smith’s poetic hands, this poignant story barrels across the pages and into the reader’s heart, reminding us that magic can arise from the deepest tragedy.” —Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor Award winner and two-time National Book Award Finalist
REVIEW:
Thank you to Penguin Random House, who sent me this book in exchange for an honest review!
There were many things I liked about this book. The writing was absolutely gorgeous. It flowed so nicely, which made the book an extremely easy read. The beginning of the novel was very strong, and, like a rip tide, pulled you into the story.
The current, sadly, was not strong enough to keep me though.
After the beginning, the story lost its grip. I know it's supposed to be a story of coincidence, but it relied so heavily on this that I felt like it lost something. One thing led to another, and the story became so unbelievable that I almost had to put the book down. What should have taken me a day to read drew out into a week because the story became so bland and boring. No twists. No turns. Stuff just happened and it wasn't enough to keep me interested.
Overall, ANOTHER KIND OF HURRICANE was not a bad book. But, unless you are a die-hard middle grade fan, I would suggest skipping this one.
CONTENT: Clean
