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Disaster Strikes! #8
Red River Raging
When Finn's parents head off to some scientific mission on the other side of the world, leaving him with his grandparents on their Manitoba farm for a whole year, Finn is furious. He struggles to deal with his gran, his cantankerous great grandfather and the less-than-friendly kids at school. But the gentle, lazy Red River flowing nearby gives Finn and his only friend, the mysterious Peter, their only peace. Finn learns that the Red River flows "backward"--from south to north-- and this increases the possibility of it flooding again, as it has many times before.
And so it does again, in 1997. Tension builds in the community when it becomes clear that they are going to have to prepare for "the big one." As the floodwaters approach, the villagers quickly build a dike to try to save their community. But can they possibly succeed in the face of this flood? Will Finn get to fish for channel cats with his great-grandfather?
Finn is dealing with problems, issues rise to a head and more than emotions overtake him when the Red River floods his grandparents' home.
And so it does again, in 1997. Tension builds in the community when it becomes clear that they are going to have to prepare for "the big one." As the floodwaters approach, the villagers quickly build a dike to try to save their community. But can they possibly succeed in the face of this flood? Will Finn get to fish for channel cats with his great-grandfather?
Finn is dealing with problems, issues rise to a head and more than emotions overtake him when the Red River floods his grandparents' home.
- GenresHistoricalFantasy
168 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2014
1 person is currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Penny Draper
9 books27 followersPenny Draper is the award-winning author of numerous books for kids and teens. When she's not writing about disasters or dancers or gigantic lake monsters, she can often be found zooming around on her motorbike or standing on her head in yoga class. Before Penny started writing books, she told stories orally, working for many years as a professional storyteller. She shared stories at schools, libraries, castles, festivals, on radio and television and once from inside a bear's belly. But that's another story. Penny currently calls Victoria, British Columbia home. For more information, please visit www.pennydraper.ca.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 1, 2015
This is my third Penny Draper book. It won't be my last. The first was Ice Storm, an historical novel about the great ice storm in Quebec in 1998. Then I read Graveyard of the Sea, a tale based on a couple of famous west coast shipwrecks in 1906. This one, Red River Raging, is part of the same Disaster Strikes series. Red River Raging is set in and around Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1997, when residents battled the flood of the century.
This is the story of a young teenage boy, Finn Armstrong, whose parents have landed a research project in Russia. Unfortunately, Finn doesn't get to go along. He is forced to go to St Agathe, a small farming community on the outskirts of Winnipeg Manitoba, and stay with his Gran and cantankerous great grandfather, Armstrong.
At first Finn is angry about his situation, but then starts to make friends and settle in to the community. He learns about the river from Peter, an old friend of Armstrong's, who teaches him about ice fishing and saves him from crashing through the melting ice of the river. It's when Peter gives him a carved catfish that things start to get strange.
It turns out that Peter is a ghost who visits select members of the Armstrong family to warn them of impending floods. The size of the catfish is a warning as to the magnitude of the flood. This one is almost as big as the catfish from 1826, the largest flood in recorded history.
Armstrong calls in some people who trust his knowledge of the river, and then everyone starts preparing for the flood. Finn and his friends organize a Flood Club, a group that goes around helping fill sandbags and building dikes.
What I loved about this book:
Draper's characters are authentic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. I liked how Finn's relationship with Armstrong progressed slowly in a realistic way. Finn's friend, Aaron uses a wheelchair, but it doesn't keep him from being involved in what everyone else is doing. Even the one student, Fred, who started out looking like a bully, was revealed as having positive aspects as he worked alongside other club members.
I learned the science and geography behind why the Red River floods, and what conditions set it up for a major one. (The river runs south to north so there is always some flooding, but a heavy snowfall and freezing are what precipitate a catastrophic flood)
I learned how the community worked together alongside one another to prepare for the flood.
Draper captures a sense of place and the people who live in it revealing to her readers who we are as Canadians.
Upon finishing reading I was compelled to head off and do more research into the history and geography of the Red River. This side illustration from the CBC archives shows the extent of the 1997 flood zone.
The endnotes are an appreciated addition as they articulate who and what are real, and who and what are from the author's imagination.
I recommend this one to all readers who like to read stories of people working together to battle the elements. I'm off to add the rest of the Disaster Series to my shopping cart.
This is the story of a young teenage boy, Finn Armstrong, whose parents have landed a research project in Russia. Unfortunately, Finn doesn't get to go along. He is forced to go to St Agathe, a small farming community on the outskirts of Winnipeg Manitoba, and stay with his Gran and cantankerous great grandfather, Armstrong.
At first Finn is angry about his situation, but then starts to make friends and settle in to the community. He learns about the river from Peter, an old friend of Armstrong's, who teaches him about ice fishing and saves him from crashing through the melting ice of the river. It's when Peter gives him a carved catfish that things start to get strange.
It turns out that Peter is a ghost who visits select members of the Armstrong family to warn them of impending floods. The size of the catfish is a warning as to the magnitude of the flood. This one is almost as big as the catfish from 1826, the largest flood in recorded history.
Armstrong calls in some people who trust his knowledge of the river, and then everyone starts preparing for the flood. Finn and his friends organize a Flood Club, a group that goes around helping fill sandbags and building dikes.
What I loved about this book:
Draper's characters are authentic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. I liked how Finn's relationship with Armstrong progressed slowly in a realistic way. Finn's friend, Aaron uses a wheelchair, but it doesn't keep him from being involved in what everyone else is doing. Even the one student, Fred, who started out looking like a bully, was revealed as having positive aspects as he worked alongside other club members.
I learned the science and geography behind why the Red River floods, and what conditions set it up for a major one. (The river runs south to north so there is always some flooding, but a heavy snowfall and freezing are what precipitate a catastrophic flood)
I learned how the community worked together alongside one another to prepare for the flood.
Draper captures a sense of place and the people who live in it revealing to her readers who we are as Canadians.
Upon finishing reading I was compelled to head off and do more research into the history and geography of the Red River. This side illustration from the CBC archives shows the extent of the 1997 flood zone.
The endnotes are an appreciated addition as they articulate who and what are real, and who and what are from the author's imagination.
I recommend this one to all readers who like to read stories of people working together to battle the elements. I'm off to add the rest of the Disaster Series to my shopping cart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2015
Really gripping story! I love history with just that touch of the paranormal... Only problem (and one I couldn't get past) is that the character is not really from 1997... (which, I will grant, would be hard to do as it is not quite far enough in the past). He uses teen slang that is current, not of the time, and he googles information... but google didn't begin until 1998. Also, I am (similarly) skeptical a that a farm in a small Manitoba farm would have a computer and internet access for the teen to send emails as a standard form of communication... Email was around, certainly, but nowhere near as ubiquitous as now. Still, that aside, the history of the 1997 Red River Flood seems solid, and the story (as I say) was wonderful.
November 28, 2014
14 year old Finn is living in Ste-Agathe, Manitoba during the 1997 "Flood of the Century". He is unhappy that his parents have left him with his grandparents while they are in Russia yet he soon begins to wonder about the forbidden barn and the mysterious Mr. De Meuron who is not all that he appear to be. The realities of the magnitude of the flood are realistically portrayed especially to those of us who lived through the event. Recommended for all Manitoban children, future Flood Fighters!
September 15, 2014
I enjoyed this historical tale! I learned a lot about rivers and flooding. Finn talks like a middle schooler but has some cool life experiences that set him apart.
July 24, 2016
FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from Goodreads hoping I would review it.
October 8, 2014
one of the better titles in the series. likeable character and current enough to be relatable.
April 18, 2017
“Red River Raging” is an enjoyable piece of young adult fiction, aimed at young readers around the age of 12-14.
As is often the case with fiction for young readers, there is quite a bit of flexibility in terms of which readers it’s suitable for. I enjoyed it, and I’m several decades older than those it’s aimed at; I handed it to my nine year old, and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Draper doesn’t talk down to her audience, but this is a story which easily avoids subjects like drugs, alcohol and sex, which often make books for young readers unsuitable for less mature readers. It deals with difficult subjects around loss and anger though, and handles them in a way that may be a little challenging for some readers, but never confronting.
Finn is 13 and used to travelling the world with his scientist parents. He’d assumed that this year, like every other year, he’d go with them – but unusually, they’re going somewhere he can’t go. So he’s left in Canada, on his grandmother’s farm, faced with the prospect of a new school in a boring environment.
But perhaps Finn won’t be so bored after all. The waters of the Red River keep rising, and Finn finds himself in the middle of an unheard of flood crisis.
There are a few minor flaws in this novel. For example, I’m aware of the way French and English are both embedded in the Canadian culture, and of some of the effects around things like schooling. My son, however, was puzzled by references to “the French school”. There are a few minor things like this that could have been explained a little to help an international audience read it independently.
However, the strengths of the novel far outweigh the small problems. As the mother of a disabled child, I appreciated the unsentimental and fairly realistic depiction of a disabled teenager. My son was fascinated by the notes at the end of the novel which discussed the actual historical events the novel was based in. The characterisations are strong, and the plot a good mix of historical fact and fiction – and exciting.
This is a well written novel for young readers that’s enjoyable and accessible for readers outside the target group. Because it avoids themes that you might not want your young reader introduced to yet, it should appeal to a wide range of parents/guardians as well as to many readers.
As is often the case with fiction for young readers, there is quite a bit of flexibility in terms of which readers it’s suitable for. I enjoyed it, and I’m several decades older than those it’s aimed at; I handed it to my nine year old, and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Draper doesn’t talk down to her audience, but this is a story which easily avoids subjects like drugs, alcohol and sex, which often make books for young readers unsuitable for less mature readers. It deals with difficult subjects around loss and anger though, and handles them in a way that may be a little challenging for some readers, but never confronting.
Finn is 13 and used to travelling the world with his scientist parents. He’d assumed that this year, like every other year, he’d go with them – but unusually, they’re going somewhere he can’t go. So he’s left in Canada, on his grandmother’s farm, faced with the prospect of a new school in a boring environment.
But perhaps Finn won’t be so bored after all. The waters of the Red River keep rising, and Finn finds himself in the middle of an unheard of flood crisis.
There are a few minor flaws in this novel. For example, I’m aware of the way French and English are both embedded in the Canadian culture, and of some of the effects around things like schooling. My son, however, was puzzled by references to “the French school”. There are a few minor things like this that could have been explained a little to help an international audience read it independently.
However, the strengths of the novel far outweigh the small problems. As the mother of a disabled child, I appreciated the unsentimental and fairly realistic depiction of a disabled teenager. My son was fascinated by the notes at the end of the novel which discussed the actual historical events the novel was based in. The characterisations are strong, and the plot a good mix of historical fact and fiction – and exciting.
This is a well written novel for young readers that’s enjoyable and accessible for readers outside the target group. Because it avoids themes that you might not want your young reader introduced to yet, it should appeal to a wide range of parents/guardians as well as to many readers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews