Storm Runners (Storm Runners Series #1)

by Roland Smith

Overview

Book one in Roland Smith's middle-grade action-adventure series—now in paperback!

Chase Masters and his father are "storm runners," racing across the country in pursuit of hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Anywhere bad weather strikes, they are not far behind. Chase is learning more on the road than he ever would just sitting in a classroom. But when the hurricane of the century hits, he will be tested in ways he never could have imagined.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545081771
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/01/2012
Series:	Storm Runners , #1
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Roland Smith first worked with animals at the Oregon Zoo, and he has been involved in animal rescues and conservation work around the world for more than 20 years. He is the author of numerous books for young readers, including Jack's Run, Zach's Lie, Peak, the Cryptid Hunters series, and the Storm Runners series. He is also the coauthor of numerous picture books with his wife, Marie. Roland lives with Marie on a farm south of Portland, Oregon. You can find him online at rolandsmith.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for STORM RUNNERS"Certain to grab readers and leave them waiting to snatch up the next installment…" —BOOKLIST"A breakneck read, perfectly geared to the restless and reluctant." —BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS

From the Publisher

Readers will really feel blasts of wind, water and flying debris in this disaster tale—at least until the narrative cuts off in mid-howl. As (fictional) Hurricane Emily moves toward Florida and his father, an itinerant contractor specializing in weather-disaster prep and repairs, heads for its expected landfall, Chase takes up temporary residence at a "farm" that turns out to be a circus' winter quarters. Hardly has he reported to the local school, though, than the storm makes a sudden turn and surge that strands him, along with classmates Nicole and Rashawn, in a wrecked bus on a crumbling levee. Writing in clipped prose and dialogue, Smith quickly plunges the three refugees into a desperate struggle to survive floods, darkness, howling gales and even an encounter with a wily alligator on the way to what they hope will be safety. Though the author's practice of repeatedly cutting away to other characters' points of view distracts from rather than tightens the suspense, and he abruptly chops off the narrative on a cliffhanger as the storm's eye passes, Chase and his friends get repeated opportunities to show that they're made of sturdy stuff. Since they are left sharing a barn with an elephant who is about to give birth as a vicious escaped leopard roams outside, readers are really going to want to find out what happens next. (Adventure. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews