Eye of the Storm

by Kate Messner

Overview

In the not-too-distant future, huge tornadoes and monster storms have become a part of everyday life. Sent to spend the summer in the heart of storm country with her meteorological engineer father, Jaden Meggs is surprised at the strides her father's company StormSafe, has made with custom shelters that keep her family safe in even the worst of storms. At her exclusive summer science camp, Eye On Tomorrow, Jaden meets Alex, a boy whose passion for science matches hers. Together, they discover that her father's company is steering storms away from the expensive neighborhoods and toward the organic farming communities that are in competition with his bio-engineered food company, NatureMade. Jaden must confront her father, but when she does, she uncovers a terrifying family secret and must call on both her scientific knowledge and her faith to save the people she loves most from one of her father's monster storms.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802723895
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	03/13/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	791,768
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Kate Messner is passionately curious and writes books that encourage kids to wonder, too. Her titles include award-winning picture books like Over and Under the Snow, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, and How to Read a Story; novels like Capture the Flag, All the Answers, The Seventh Wish, and Breakout; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series, and the Ranger in Time historical chapter book series. Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her family and is trying to summit all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in between book deadlines.
www.katemessner.com
@KateMessner
Kate Messner is a former middle-school English teacher and the author of E. B. White Read Aloud Award winner The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. and its companion, The Exact Location of Home; Sugar and Ice; Eye of the Storm; Wake Up Missing; All the Answers; The Seventh Wish; Capture the Flag; Hide and Seek; the Marty McGuire chapter book series; the Ranger in Time chapter book series; and several picture books. She lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and two kids. When she's not reading or writing, she loves hiking, kayaking, biking, and watching thunderstorms over the lake. www.katemessner.com
@KateMessner

Editorial Reviews

This fast-paced read will sweep readers along to its powerful conclusion . . . will not disappoint readers who are looking for a thrill.” —VOYA, on Eye of the Storm

“A suspenseful science fiction story that keeps the reader engrossed from beginning to end . . . will appeal to both boys and girls.” —Library Media Connection, on Eye of the Storm

“A definite contender in the 'strong middle grade' ring. A title that remains in your mind long after you've put it down.” —Fuse8, on Sugar & Ice

“Satisfying and likely to have wide appeal.” —Booklist, on Sugar & Ice

“Laced with humor and heart . . . an insightful and affecting read.” —Booklist, on The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.

“Plot twists keep readers engaged, and Messner's warm and humorous tone will capture even reluctant readers.” —School Library Journal, on The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.

“Kate juggles a bundle of fairly heavy plotlines as if they weighed no more than a pile of leaves, managing her story with humor and grace.” —Writing and Ruminating (Online), on The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z.

From the Publisher

Gr 5–7—Forty years into the future, massive tornadoes threaten lives and property daily. Thirteen-year-old weather-buff Jaden Meggs moves in with her father to attend science camp inside the heart of tornado alley. Her scientist dad has made a fortune developing Placid Meadows, a posh neighborhood that no tornado can touch. After studying tornado behavior at camp, Jaden and her new friends begin to suspect that her father is hiding something. They soon discover that guaranteed safety comes at a high cost, leaving Jaden to decide if uncovering the truth is worth betraying her father. The futuristic community of Placid Meadows—where everyone carries a "data slate" and eats genetically altered fruit—will appeal to science-fiction fans. Multiple deadly storms provide plenty of action and parallel recent news reports about active weather patterns and climate change. While these heart-pounding scenes will be a hit, characters and plot are less developed. Readers know little about major characters beyond their intelligence and obsession with science, and the linear plot has only one focus—to stop the storms. Messner overexplains the science behind tornadoes and meteorology, which further detracts from the story and will leave some readers scratching their heads. Despite the flaws, fans of nonstop action and of S.A. Bodeen's The Gardener (Feiwel & Friends, 2010) and Pam Bachorz's Candor (Egmont USA, 2009) will like this one.—Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX

School Library Journal