Title: The Book of Storms
Author: Ruth Hatfield
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: Print 357
Rating: ★★★★.5
Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion. I purchased a copy of this book on my own from book outlet. The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or the publisher.
This Middle-Grade fantasy fiction novel follows the life of Danny. He awakes one morning to find out that his parents are missing after a harsh storm that occurred the night prior. Danny searches outside in hopes of locating his parents and discovers the sycamore tree in his yard has been struck by lightning. As he examines the tree more closely, gazing upon the charcoal color, he finds a piece of the tree that looks different. Danny reaches to pick up the stick, and from that moment on he can hear the sounds of the earth. This startles him, and he takes the stick places it in his pocket and heads to school assuming his parents will be home when he returns. Danny returns home and realizes his parents are indeed missing. He must journey to find his parents and uncover their secrets. While searching his parent’s room for clues, he stumbles upon a journal that explains that his parents were storm chasers. With the help of the neighborhood cat, Mitzy, Danny journeys to the home of Abel Korsakof in hopes of discovering what the Book of Storms is. Danny must learn who to trust and who not to trust. He must also find his parents, the Book of Storms, and try not to be killed by Sammael. Will Danny see his parents or will he be killed?
Favorite Quotes:
“What would you do if you woke up and your mum was missing?”
Danny said this line to his cousin Tom after arriving at his Aunt’s farm.
“He waited for an uncountable time in the hop of seeing the earth re-form and rise up into the shape of the great gray dog he had loved, but there was nothing there.”
This was one of the saddest parts for me. Even though I know Sammael is the villain in this story, he still had a heart for his dog. I am assuming Sammael will seek vengeance for the death of his dog and still continue to try to control the storms.
Final Thoughts:
I thought this was a great story. I liked the way this book was written and felt the same feelings Danny felt. Danny was in complete shock at the beginning of the book, not realizing his parents were indeed missing. He struggled to come to terms with the fact that he had to journey alone to find them but continued to seek out help from others such as Mitzy and the creatures of the earth. I did not wholly understand the power that Sammael had or the importance of his dog, other than being a companion. I also did not understand the concept of a Lurcher and felt that could have been explained more in the book. Overall, I thought this book did a great job of capturing my attention and had me on the edge of my seat a good portion of the time. I recommend this book for anyone in middle school interested in a fantasy novel that focuses on the importance of working together. I assume the overall lesson in this book is not to give up and to seek out help when needed. It is also important to be careful who you trust because Tom made a mistake in this book towards the end and I am curious as to how his error will affect everyone else.
What would you do if you came home and your parents were missing?
Librariel Book Adventures 