Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby

How I Heard About It:  I recently received this middle-grade novel from the publisher.  Over the summer I've seen and read many positive reviews about the story.  When I put the novel in my hands I was struck by the beauty of the cover.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *For as long as she can remember, it has been Fig and her father.  Even though Fig is only a sixth grader, at times she cares for her father in bigger ways than he is able to.  

2.  *Fig's father spends his adult life dealing with emotional "issues" that not only effect himself, but his daughter as well.

3.  *Her father is a musician, but currently isn't able to "produce" any music that brings in money.  This situation is mainly due to his emotional state.  Fig begins to relate her father's story to that of Vincent Van Gogh life and struggles.

4.  *After an episode at Fig's school and the threat of of "hurricane season", Fig becomes more and more worries about being separated from the only adult care-taker she has ever had.  

5.  *Fig has to navigate rough "weather" with her family relationships, friend relationships, and the relationship she has with herself.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *This was a beautifully written middle-grade story.  The words just seemed to float across the page, almost like "ART".  

2.  *There was a lot of heart-break in Fig's story, but through it all I felt a sense of hope.

3.  *As a reader, I normally encounter the female (mother) character dealing with emotional issues.  It was a refreshing change of pace to read about a father living with some pretty heavy stuff.

4.  *I was drawn into the story because of the connections between weather, art, feelings, and how we deal with real-life problems.  

5.  *When I first began, I thought it may be a story I shared with my fourth graders.  As I finished Fig's journey, I realized the novel may be better suited for an older reader.  


Who Should Read It:    I have mixed feelings about this.  For the most part I think this story could be shared with fifth and sixth graders.  The book would be perfect for middle-school readers.  I even think it could be read by the young-adult reader.  There are just some mature themes, sexuality, that are presented on multiple accounts, that I think a younger reader may have some questions about.  The story of Fig and her father is a beautiful one that definitely needs to be in the hands of young readers.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:   4 STARS out of 5 Stars!