Tornado

When a distant storm knocks out the power at Cam’s high school, school is cancelled, and Cam and his friends head out for burgers. Cam is supposed to pick up his little brother, Peter, after school, but, on the way home, the teens get caught up in the middle of a deadly tornado. Cam manages to survive and makes his way home only to discover that his house is in ruins and his parents are locked in an argument that ends in a startling revelation. And Peter is still missing. Cam must battle the devastation and uncertainty caused by the tornado to find his brother as his already fragile family is being destroyed by secrets.

Tornado is part of the “Orca Soundings” series, short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens, edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines. Author Sharon Jennings does this well, weaving a number of complex issues faced by teens (teen rebellion, sex, family dysfunction, alcoholism, death) within a simple story. With little time for character or plot development, the book reads like a snapshot in time, but the author does well in, at the same time, building suspense and engagement with the reader.

Cam is a likeable and relatable character who struggles with his sense of self, fitting in/belonging, his future. Cam and his friends represent caricatures of small town/rural living, with small town values and dreams. The book tries to include a level of diversity by including a cast of neighbors/minor characters with last names like Chang, Khan and Gupta.

In the aftermath and the destruction of the tornado, within the heightened conflict and tension, searing family secrets are revealed, and the reader is left feeling for Cam and how he will rebuild his life. Though the tragic deaths of Cam’s girlfriend and best friend are left somewhat unexplored, Tornado leaves the reader with a number of life lessons as Cam matures and learns to face his future. The reader is also left with a number of ripples of the story to ponder as the book concludes.