Since she started Year 7 at Daisy Hill Academy, Storm has found life difficult: she is incredibly shy which is making lessons difficult but also her friendships too. Sport is one of the lessons she finds most difficult, that is until the day she discovers she's the fastest runner in the year and the PE teacher invites her to join athletics club and to represent the school at Manchester's athletic championships. But can Storm overcome her shyness?
I sat down to read Quiet Storm last Saturday morning whilst everyone else was at the beach and I gobbled the entire book in one sitting, finishing it before everyone came home! This is a book that is gentle yet strong; powerful and life-affirming and will be a book that is guaranteed to help children in school.
Storm is an wonderful character and one I found incredibly relatable. Her life at home is busy and wonderful, despite the burst pipes meaning they're living with their grandma. She is able to be herself and is frequently frustrated with her older brother, Isaiah who seems to be incredibly laid back and has everything sorted. In school, however, Storm is struggling and finds speaking out impossible. Daily life in school is a struggle and when her best friend Zarrish is asked to buddy a new girl, Melissa, things just get worse. She feels completely alone and unable to express herself so seems to retreat within herself. The discovery that she can run well is huge for her, but she needs to be brave.
The more I read of Quiet Storm, the more I loved the book. Storm is a wonderful character and I was incredibly pleased to see a main character experiencing shyness in this way. All too often, main characters are confident (don't get me wrong, I love to see this too) but it is important for everybody to be able to see themselves in books and Quiet Storm will help many children to understand that there is nothing wrong with being quiet; it doesn't make you weak, in fact, if anything I think it makes you so much stronger, and we see that in abundance with Storm. Whilst she is scared about speaking out in lessons and worries about attending athletics on her own, she speaks volumes with her actions. When friendship issues rise up, she deals with it in her own way and there are so many children who need to see this. Storm is a character we need in this world and I loved her from the second I met her (admittedly, at times, I felt my heart beating faster for her and I wanted to reach in and help her). She is relatable and shows that it is possible to be more relaxed and chatty at home with family. It's easy for people to make assumptions when they meet someone like Storm but this book is a glowing example of how important it is to look beyond first impressions.
Friendships and bullying are both explored within the book and the idea of not being afraid to be yourself shines out of the pages, and not just from Storm (but I won't spoil anything!). Both of these things will make fantastic discussion points in school. Family relationships are also wonderfully explored within the book and the way people view Storm in relation to her older brother in particular - sibling relationships are often tricky but this is a new perspective as it looks at how others see them.
Quiet Storm left me with genuine goose bumps, a lump in my throat and a warm glow in my heart. Since read the book, I have thought frequently of Storm and I already know of children in school who will find this book useful. I can't wait to take it in next term.
Publishing on the 8th June, Quiet Storm is guaranteed to be a book that will help children to find their voice and use it.
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