Harry and the Hurricane: a boy faces terror ... and finds the power of love - Softcover

Berg, Gordon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1943995966 ISBN 13: 9781943995967

Publisher: Mission Point Press, 2019

Synopsis

A dramatic and absorbing tale of a historic storm. —Kirkus Reviews

Seven-year-old Harry loves his new tropical paradise. Miami had the puffiest clouds ever, an ocean air that spoke of life teeming beneath the waves and, best of all, a new puppy. This was way better than Detroit! That is, until a deadly hurricane packing 150 mile-per-hour winds crashed ashore. Almost everyone was asleep and caught off guard. Then, in the light of dawn, when they thought the storm had passed, Harry and his new dog, Patches, find themselves in the middle of the monster again — and this time, they are alone. Harry and the Hurricane is based on a true story about the author's father as a young boy and one of the worst storms to hit Southeast Florida — The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926. It is the story of a young boy who faces terror ... and finds the power of love.

“Harry and the Hurricane ... combines some whimsical elements with real fear, and an excellent amount of local history. I personally think every child will get something out of it, be it history, fantasy, or just a great story. Well done!” —John Allen, Executive Director, Coral Gables Museum

“Berg has combined oral history, historical documents, and personal family story to bring into the light an overlooked but important historical moment—seen through the eyes of an alert and sensitive boy, Berg’s own father. Read it with your kids!” —Anne-Marie Oomen, Next Generation Indie Award for Memoir and co-author of illustrated tale in poems, The Lake Michigan Mermaid

“Reading Harry and the Hurricane was an exhilarating and page-turning experience for my daughters and me. Berg’s voice is clear, his writing full of warmth and wit, and this is a book your kids will ask you to read to them over and over. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!” —Jeremy Stringer, Hurricane Matthew survivor, 2016

“Harry and the Hurricane is a tender story of how terrifying hurricanes can be and after riding out two hurricanes myself, I certainly connected with Harry’s fear.” —Craig Scott Symons, Survivor of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, 2011 & 2012“As an elementary school arts teacher, I’m struck by how the story of Harry and the Hurricane allows one to “paint” a horrific image of a cruel villain that is traumatizing a young boy. This book would be an excellent resource in a creative arts classroom. One could easily draw, write, or act out feelings emitted by this story.” —Shelley Cohen, (Retired) Elementary School Arts Teacher, Chicago area

About this title

Review:

PRAISE FOR HARRY AND THE HURRICANE

"I read Harry and the Hurricane and thoroughly enjoyed it. [It] combines some whimsical elements with real fear, and an excellent amount of local history. I personally think every child will get something out of it, be it history, fantasy, or just a great story. Well done!" -- John Allen, Executive Director, Coral Gables Museum

"One way we become intimate with and discover the realness of history is through oral history; often these are handed-down family stories that depict eyewitness accounts of historical events. And one purpose of literature is retelling those stories using all the devices of good story telling. When it's done right--as it is here, we readers see how history shapes us and our world. In this compelling tale of the devastating 1926 Miami hurricane, Gordon Berg reimagines his father's life-threatening childhood experience of being tested by the hurricane and of finding those things for which he would fight and even die. Berg has combined oral history, historical documents, and personal family story to bring into the light an overlooked but important historical moment--seen through the eyes of an alert and sensitive boy, Berg's own father. Read it with your kids!" -- Anne-Marie Oomen, Next Generation Indie Award for Memoir and co-author of illustrated tale in poems, The Lake Michigan Mermaid

"Reading Harry and the Hurricane was an exhilarating and page-turning experience for my daughters and me. The vivid historical description of this tragedy closely matches my own experience of surviving a tropical hurricane. Berg's voice is clear, his writing full of warmth and wit, and this is a book your kids will ask you to read to them over and over. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!" -- Jeremy Stringer, Hurricane Matthew survivor, 2016

"Dramatic! Enthralling! The destructive fury of a wicked storm leaves a lifelong imprint tempered by time and the strength, generosity and compassion of the human spirit." -- Sue Bumpus, Hurricane Hugo survivor, 1989

"Harry and the Hurricane is a tender story of how terrifying hurricanes can be and after riding out two hurricanes myself, I certainly connected with Harry's fear." -- Craig Scott Symons, Survivor of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, 2011 & 2012

"As an elementary school arts teacher, I'm struck by how the story of Harry and the Hurricane allows one to "paint" a horrific image of a cruel villain that is traumatizing a young boy. This book would be an excellent resource in a creative arts classroom. One could easily draw, write, or act out feelings emitted by this story." --Shelley Cohen, (Retired) Elementary School Arts Teacher, Chicago area

About this edition

• Publisher: Mission Point Press
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1943995966
• ISBN 13: 9781943995967
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 106
• Illustrator: Petersmark Emilee