Review by Booklist Review
Leaving no doubt about which characters to cheer and which to boo, Foley pairs two sixth-graders with very different temperaments but much common ground against a small-town big shot with an ugly secret. Hardly has tough Nadine arrived to stay with her grandma (while her mom goes through rehab back in Chicago) than she's paired up with meek, much-bullied classmate Francis for a special local-history project. They decide to do it on the strange and infamous tornado that hit without warning a dozen years ago, killing Francis' mom and several other residents and leaving him an infant survivor. This does not sit well with blustering Mayor Trevor Ray, who ruthlessly pressures them to pick another topic--for good reason, it turns out, as the young researchers soon uncover hints that the devastating storm might not have been entirely natural in origin. Notwithstanding Nadine's typically hard-nosed claim that no grown-ups have ever done her any favors, the author allows several members of the strong adult supporting cast to brave Ray's wrath with under-the-radar support--most winningly, town librarian Katie-Kate, an ex-marine with PTSD--on the way to a triumphant, thoroughly satisfying denouement, complete with heroic rescues, tearful reunions, and just deserts all round. A breezy, feel-good tale with whiffs of fantasy and wish fulfillment.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
While her mother attends rehabilitation for her drug dependency, 12-year-old Nadine goes to stay with her grandmother in Centralia, Ill., a small community best known as being devastated by the Great Tornado of the New Millennium, an F4 twister that occurred the year Nadine was born. She reluctantly befriends classmate Francis Pepper, whose mother's death in the event led to frequent bullying surrounding his family history as well as a cruel nickname, Tornado Boy. Tasked with working together on a history project to commemorate the town's bicentennial, Nadine and Francis choose to focus on the GTNM despite the egocentric mayor sponsoring the celebration's inexplicably pressuring them to drop the subject. But as they investigate that tragic day, they uncover a bizarre secret about Centralia's history, and their own seemingly destined friendship. Foley (Breda's Island) elevates this quiet exploration of healing after trauma and finding one's place to belong by gradually incorporating magical twists and sinister undertones. Each new variable is unveiled with a thoughtfulness that ensures the grounded themes surrounding grief and bullying remain the focus of this feel-good adventure. Main characters read as white. Ages 8--12. (May)
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Review by Horn Book Review
When Nadine moves to Centralia, Illinois, to live with her grandmother while her mom goes to rehab for drug addiction, her goal is to keep her head down, stay out of middle school drama, and get back to Chicago as soon as possible. That becomes impossible when she and sixth-grade outcast Francis Pepper are paired together on a local history project. They decide to research the F4 tornado that destroyed half the town and killed Francis's mother -- a choice of topic that raises eyebrows and puts them on the wrong side of the city's mayor. As Nadine and Francis dive into Centralia's history, they uncover secrets and outcomes that make their project a threat to the mayor's interests. Nadine is an engaging protagonist, cautious and jaded after growing up with her mother's addiction, but not entirely cynical. Francis is intriguing, largely unbothered by his outcast status but also hungry for Nadine's friendship. The novel's weather-related magical elements, which are not hinted at in the first third of the book, feel almost secondary, but everything is brought to a satisfying and heartfelt resolution. Mayor Trev's role as antagonist is obvious from his first appearance on the page, but the extent of his villainy comes as a surprise. Throughout, Foley balances deep topics with tween drama and handles both with aplomb. Sarah RettgerSeptember/October 2025 p.63 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two troubled young people grow close as they learn about a natural disaster. After leaving Chicago, all Nadine wants is to keep her head down and have a "drama-free end to sixth grade" in rural Centralia, Illinois. But things aren't that simple, what with her neighbor and class project partner, Francis, being bullied. They're researching the Great Tornado of the New Millenium, which divided Centralia: Wealthy residents have new, tornado-proof houses built on a former trailer park, which was leveled in the disaster. As an infant, Francis lost his mother in the GTNM; he heartbreakingly asks Nadine and her grandma, "But what's a momlike?" Meanwhile, Nadine's mother is battling addiction, which is why she's living with Grandma. The pair's research unearths newspaper headlines, a secret, and the stories of their mothers' shared history. The eccentric supporting cast includes an ex-Marine librarian with PTSD, a smarmy mayor with deep local roots, and a disgraced meteorologist. Francis is vulnerable and smart, while Nadine is a survivor; together they forge a poignant friendship in the face of loss, neglect, bullying, class divides, and prejudice. The book, which incorporates some great science facts, will compel readers to think about those who have lost their lives in extreme weather events as people rather than statistics. Some light fantasy elements feel like a bit of a stretch, but overall, the strong writing compensates. A gripping story of loss and connection.(Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
