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Stormstruck!
Twelve-year-old Sam is convinced that his parents plan to have Pogo, their elderly and infirm Labrador retriever, put down. To save Pogo, Sam sets sail with the dog on a fourteen-foot catboat, heading for an island off the coast of Maine. The elements conspire against them as they move from one danger to another: blinding fog, lurking sharks, a gathering storm. Sam summons unimaginable courage and admirable ingenuity to meet each challenge, helped along the way by Pogo's loyalty, a one-eyed cormorant, a retired ornithologist and a lifetime of good nautical advice from his older brother.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 20, 2017
If you are not familiar with sailing and the terminology involved, I recommend reading The Catboat Book before reading this book. You will better understand what Sam means when he says "My boat's a twelve-and-a-half-foot catboat."
He means this -
You will also better understand what Sam's doing in all of his many unfortunate boat-saving situations.
This is the longest book I've ever read.
It's 138 pages.
It's aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds.
It shouldn't have been so difficult to read.
If you're looking for constant action and danger from nature, this is your book. If you're looking for an emotionally tortured kid who has had to deal with too much in too short of a time span, this is also your book. If you sail or are a sailing enthusiast, this book will probably be interesting.
If you are me, do not read this book. It is exhausting.
Alright. So.
We have Sam. He's 12. He lives on an island off the coast of Maine. It doesn't look like a very big island and I don't know how his parents wound up there or what they do for a living but that's where they are, on an island in the Atlantic.
Sam is recovering from trauma. Awhile back, he broke his arm and ever since, he's been overly concerned that his arm will break again if he is even just a little bit reckless. No one told him that, at his age, bones heal up just fine and are just as strong as, if not stronger than, before they broke. So he obsesses on his weak arm a lot.
Also, his brother, Steve, to whom Sam looked for guidance, wisdom, and advice about all things nature-related and nautical, enlisted and shipped out last year.
That's a lot for a 12-year-old to deal with so when he overhears his parents talking about putting the family dog, a 15-year-old yellow lab named Pogo, to sleep because of cancer and old age and the dog not really being able to get around anymore, Sam freaks the hell out and decides the best course of action is to put Pogo in a sailboat and the two of them will sail to someplace where there is no worrying about death.
I can relate. Sometimes, running away from imminent pain seems like the sensible solution, especially when you've already been dealing with an overwhelming amount of pain for an overwhelming amount of time.
I can't, however, relate to everything that came after.
I don't sail. I live in a landlocked state far from any large bodies of water. My dad loves boats and the idea of sailing but I've only been out on the water a handful of times, maybe a couple dozen, in my life and I didn't learn anything about how boats work nor did I pick up terminology beyond the standard port/starboard/tiller/stern/poop deck stuff. I'd expected that to have been enough experience and didn't think I'd have to know more, going into this book, but I was wrong, so very wrong. Nautical terminology abounds and if you're not the type who wants to look up a sea-story word every few pages, this book gets tedious pretty quickly. A glossary would have helped.
Also, there is a lot of surviving going on in this story. Survival stories are super fun. They're exciting, you pick up tricks and tips on how to not die when in situations you probably won't find yourself in, and it's thrilling to be kept breathless by the idea that the main character's death is just around the corner with one misstep (though, honestly, that's true in day-to-day life, too). There are many excellent survival stories out there - looking at you, Island of the Blue Dolphins, in which I learned a whole lot more about ocean survival than what I gleaned from this book - for this age group. I think this one is meant more for thrills than for learning or relating.
At any rate, back to the Nature vs Man: Sam gets into one mess after another on his quest to find safety from veterinarians for his old dog. Storms, island hermits, fog, barges mowing him down, losing all useful items of salvation, getting stranded, not getting found, a shark (what? Really? I mean, I get it, the shark is an excellent representation of Sam's fear, especially as pertains to his fragile little arm but it's more than a literary device in this story. It's also an actual shark that's stalking Sam and Pogo and is later used as a lesson about nature which would make sense in another story but just added to the sigh-making/eye-rolling nature of this one), dehydration and starvation, hypothermia, constant fear, the need to save things that aren't your job to save even if you think saving one thing can make you feel better ,etc. It's just too much to have going on all the time.
Again, I'm in a landlocked state so maybe it really is like this when you run away with your dog in a sailboat on the Atlantic off the coast of Maine, I don't know. But if that's the case, I am never going out on a boat again because it is obviously the most unsafe thing any human could ever do. Odysseus had it super easy on his trips, in comparison to this disasterpiece.
There were other things that had me confused, as well. I was already adrift in a sea of unknown terminology (ha! I'm so clever with the wordplay) and additional confusion was unwelcome. For instance, I couldn't figure out how Sam kept hauling his dog around with one hand. The dog is wearing a harness, the kind with a handle on the back, which is what Sam used for the yoinking around of his pup. On the cover, the dog looks to be about 25-35 pounds. However, this is a full-grown male yellow lab. My lab is medium-sized and clocks in at 75 pounds. My parents' lab was of the small variety and was still 50+ pounds...the + was from too many treats. How is a 12-year-old strong enough to be hauling his lab in and out of boats, up and down ladders, and out of sucking waves? I'm slightly bigger than the average 12-year-old and while I don't lift, bro, I'm also not a fragile-armed weakling and, still, there is no way in hell I could haul my dog by his harness handle off the ground with one arm, let alone into or out of anything.
Also confusing: Why was there just one fly-over from a Coast Guard plane? Does the Coast Guard not set out on motorboats when children go missing at sea? When kids go missing here, everyone is out looking for at least a week. Granted, we don't have to cover ocean territory, but it's not just a quick flyover and done. Is Maine a horrible place that hates children and barely makes an effort to recover them?
Also confusing: Sam's choices. He says he's not going to go far and then he winds up lost. He sees fog coming in but flounders about while trying to head for shore. Again, my lack of nautical knowledge probably added to my confusion as to why Sam kept getting engulfed in things he saw coming from quite a distance. That's kind of the point of the story, actually - Why did Sam keep getting into endangering situations when he saw the endangerment threatening?
Obviously, as a reader who reads to be entertained or to learn cool things, this book was incredibly unappealing.
As a recommender, this book would be suitable for kids who really like nature survival adventures but only if they have a working knowledge of sailing and boats. I probably won't be telling a lot of the kids in my landlocked area to read this one, at least, not until they've passed a test on knot-tying, boom-rigging, and shark-identifying.
He means this -
You will also better understand what Sam's doing in all of his many unfortunate boat-saving situations.
This is the longest book I've ever read.
It's 138 pages.
It's aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds.
It shouldn't have been so difficult to read.
If you're looking for constant action and danger from nature, this is your book. If you're looking for an emotionally tortured kid who has had to deal with too much in too short of a time span, this is also your book. If you sail or are a sailing enthusiast, this book will probably be interesting.
If you are me, do not read this book. It is exhausting.
Alright. So.
We have Sam. He's 12. He lives on an island off the coast of Maine. It doesn't look like a very big island and I don't know how his parents wound up there or what they do for a living but that's where they are, on an island in the Atlantic.
Sam is recovering from trauma. Awhile back, he broke his arm and ever since, he's been overly concerned that his arm will break again if he is even just a little bit reckless. No one told him that, at his age, bones heal up just fine and are just as strong as, if not stronger than, before they broke. So he obsesses on his weak arm a lot.
Also, his brother, Steve, to whom Sam looked for guidance, wisdom, and advice about all things nature-related and nautical, enlisted and shipped out last year.
That's a lot for a 12-year-old to deal with so when he overhears his parents talking about putting the family dog, a 15-year-old yellow lab named Pogo, to sleep because of cancer and old age and the dog not really being able to get around anymore, Sam freaks the hell out and decides the best course of action is to put Pogo in a sailboat and the two of them will sail to someplace where there is no worrying about death.
I can relate. Sometimes, running away from imminent pain seems like the sensible solution, especially when you've already been dealing with an overwhelming amount of pain for an overwhelming amount of time.
I can't, however, relate to everything that came after.
I don't sail. I live in a landlocked state far from any large bodies of water. My dad loves boats and the idea of sailing but I've only been out on the water a handful of times, maybe a couple dozen, in my life and I didn't learn anything about how boats work nor did I pick up terminology beyond the standard port/starboard/tiller/stern/poop deck stuff. I'd expected that to have been enough experience and didn't think I'd have to know more, going into this book, but I was wrong, so very wrong. Nautical terminology abounds and if you're not the type who wants to look up a sea-story word every few pages, this book gets tedious pretty quickly. A glossary would have helped.
Also, there is a lot of surviving going on in this story. Survival stories are super fun. They're exciting, you pick up tricks and tips on how to not die when in situations you probably won't find yourself in, and it's thrilling to be kept breathless by the idea that the main character's death is just around the corner with one misstep (though, honestly, that's true in day-to-day life, too). There are many excellent survival stories out there - looking at you, Island of the Blue Dolphins, in which I learned a whole lot more about ocean survival than what I gleaned from this book - for this age group. I think this one is meant more for thrills than for learning or relating.
At any rate, back to the Nature vs Man: Sam gets into one mess after another on his quest to find safety from veterinarians for his old dog. Storms, island hermits, fog, barges mowing him down, losing all useful items of salvation, getting stranded, not getting found, a shark (what? Really? I mean, I get it, the shark is an excellent representation of Sam's fear, especially as pertains to his fragile little arm but it's more than a literary device in this story. It's also an actual shark that's stalking Sam and Pogo and is later used as a lesson about nature which would make sense in another story but just added to the sigh-making/eye-rolling nature of this one), dehydration and starvation, hypothermia, constant fear, the need to save things that aren't your job to save even if you think saving one thing can make you feel better ,etc. It's just too much to have going on all the time.
Again, I'm in a landlocked state so maybe it really is like this when you run away with your dog in a sailboat on the Atlantic off the coast of Maine, I don't know. But if that's the case, I am never going out on a boat again because it is obviously the most unsafe thing any human could ever do. Odysseus had it super easy on his trips, in comparison to this disasterpiece.
There were other things that had me confused, as well. I was already adrift in a sea of unknown terminology (ha! I'm so clever with the wordplay) and additional confusion was unwelcome. For instance, I couldn't figure out how Sam kept hauling his dog around with one hand. The dog is wearing a harness, the kind with a handle on the back, which is what Sam used for the yoinking around of his pup. On the cover, the dog looks to be about 25-35 pounds. However, this is a full-grown male yellow lab. My lab is medium-sized and clocks in at 75 pounds. My parents' lab was of the small variety and was still 50+ pounds...the + was from too many treats. How is a 12-year-old strong enough to be hauling his lab in and out of boats, up and down ladders, and out of sucking waves? I'm slightly bigger than the average 12-year-old and while I don't lift, bro, I'm also not a fragile-armed weakling and, still, there is no way in hell I could haul my dog by his harness handle off the ground with one arm, let alone into or out of anything.
Also confusing: Why was there just one fly-over from a Coast Guard plane? Does the Coast Guard not set out on motorboats when children go missing at sea? When kids go missing here, everyone is out looking for at least a week. Granted, we don't have to cover ocean territory, but it's not just a quick flyover and done. Is Maine a horrible place that hates children and barely makes an effort to recover them?
Also confusing: Sam's choices. He says he's not going to go far and then he winds up lost. He sees fog coming in but flounders about while trying to head for shore. Again, my lack of nautical knowledge probably added to my confusion as to why Sam kept getting engulfed in things he saw coming from quite a distance. That's kind of the point of the story, actually - Why did Sam keep getting into endangering situations when he saw the endangerment threatening?
Obviously, as a reader who reads to be entertained or to learn cool things, this book was incredibly unappealing.
As a recommender, this book would be suitable for kids who really like nature survival adventures but only if they have a working knowledge of sailing and boats. I probably won't be telling a lot of the kids in my landlocked area to read this one, at least, not until they've passed a test on knot-tying, boom-rigging, and shark-identifying.
August 3, 2015
Twelve-year-old Sam promised his older brother that he would take care of his Labrador, Pogo, when he left Maine and went overseas to fight. Now that Steve, his brother, has died, and Pogo has cancer, that promise seems even more important. After overhearing his parents discussing putting Pogo to sleep, Sam decides to head out to a nearby island. His plans are uncertain, but he has the good fortune to meet Magnus, a retired ornithologist and his bird. After sharing a meal and a chat, he heads back home but dense fog and a series of accidents and mistakes keep him from arriving. Throughout all the events, he keeps the advice of Steve in mind, and never completely gives up, even when a storm causes his boat to drift away while he takes refuge on an old wreck or when a hungry shark lies in wait for him. Strangely, a one-eyed cormorant seems to be on his side too. The author does a great job of piling on the suspense and provided riveting details of how helpless Sam feels when he is unable to see where the boat is going. This adventure story featuring one boy against the elements will appeal to animal lovers and anyone with a tender place in the heart for seemingly hopeless causes. As sick and frail as Pogo is, he still keeps watch over his human companion, often with no concern about his own welfare. Readers will enjoy discussing what exactly he accomplished by risking everything, including his and Pogo's lives, and imagining the conversations he and his parents will have upon his return. To entice readers to give this book a try, teachers should read one or more of the compelling passages with which it is filled. The action doesn't let up.
November 29, 2015
When 12-year-old Sam hears his parents talking about putting down his beloved dog Pogo, Sam knows he must do something to save his elderly Labrador retriever. Pogo is not only his most loyal companion, he’s also the last promise he made to his older brother before he was shipped off, and then killed, in Afghanistan.
Sam decides to run away with Pogo on his small sailboat, Scallop. They are soon off on a series of adventures battling the sea, the weather and even some scary creatures in the deep water. Luckily Sam is an expert sailor and remembers all of his older brother's great nautical advice--he’s going to need to remember a lot if he wants to survive his perilous journey.
Sam is helped along the way by a retired ornithologist and a one-eyed cormorant (sea bird). This book does have fast-paced adventures that reluctant readers, especially guys, will enjoy--as long as all the sailing lingo doesn’t slow them down.
At times it was hard to understand exactly what was happening or why Sam was doing what he did because I’m not familiar with sailing jargon. This could be viewed as a high-low book as it does not get bogged down with extraneous characterization or description.
Sam decides to run away with Pogo on his small sailboat, Scallop. They are soon off on a series of adventures battling the sea, the weather and even some scary creatures in the deep water. Luckily Sam is an expert sailor and remembers all of his older brother's great nautical advice--he’s going to need to remember a lot if he wants to survive his perilous journey.
Sam is helped along the way by a retired ornithologist and a one-eyed cormorant (sea bird). This book does have fast-paced adventures that reluctant readers, especially guys, will enjoy--as long as all the sailing lingo doesn’t slow them down.
At times it was hard to understand exactly what was happening or why Sam was doing what he did because I’m not familiar with sailing jargon. This could be viewed as a high-low book as it does not get bogged down with extraneous characterization or description.
October 10, 2015
Sam is only twelve and he now faces a terrible problem. He overheard his parents talking about putting down their old, infirm, yellow lab, Pogo. Sam and Pogo have a special relationship, and Sam promised to care for the dog when his brother became a soldier. Now his brother has been killed in action and that promise seems more important than ever. That's why Sam sneaks out in the early morning with Pogo and sets sail. A series of bad decisions, and bad luck, follow. Now Sam and Pogo are in terrible danger, and Sam finds more than one life depending on him. This is a thoughtful and often suspenseful survival story that should appeal to upper elementary and middle school readers. Unfortunately they might not choose to pick it up. The cover art is not especially compelling, and the formatting seems designed to squish as much text as possible onto a page, making it look much harder than it really is. It will take some promotion to get this book circulating, but the book is worth it.
October 23, 2015
genre: realistic
summary: Sam overhears his parents one night as the discuss what to do with the family dog, Pogo. Pogo is getting old and he's making a lot of messes in the house. His parents think that it may be time to put him down. Horrified, Sam decides to take Pogo away to safety by sailing his little boat, The Scallop, to small island off the coast (Maine). Storms, Fog, sharks, and shipwrecks. Sam faces the grief he's been feeling after his brother died in Afghanistan.
notes:
for kids who like: Hatchet, dog and owner books, survival adventure books
age group: 9+
my review: Not a fan. I loved the Hatchet and I compare every realistic fiction books with a survival situation with that. This doesn't come close. 75% of the books is build up to the real meat of the survival and *spoilers* return/rescue part*. Also while the subject matter of losing a sibling in the service is a good thing touch on. I really didn't feel it.
summary: Sam overhears his parents one night as the discuss what to do with the family dog, Pogo. Pogo is getting old and he's making a lot of messes in the house. His parents think that it may be time to put him down. Horrified, Sam decides to take Pogo away to safety by sailing his little boat, The Scallop, to small island off the coast (Maine). Storms, Fog, sharks, and shipwrecks. Sam faces the grief he's been feeling after his brother died in Afghanistan.
notes:
for kids who like: Hatchet, dog and owner books, survival adventure books
age group: 9+
my review: Not a fan. I loved the Hatchet and I compare every realistic fiction books with a survival situation with that. This doesn't come close. 75% of the books is build up to the real meat of the survival and *spoilers* return/rescue part*. Also while the subject matter of losing a sibling in the service is a good thing touch on. I really didn't feel it.
April 1, 2016
This was a quick read, and perhaps a nice (short-ish) story for middle-grade readers. It centers around 12-year old Sam, whose brother (we later find out) has been deployed by the military to war in the Middle East, and the dog that Sam's brother left him in charge of (Pogo). Poor Pogo, however, is getting up there in dog years, and has several terminal health issues which leave him in near-constant discomfort. When Sam overhears his parents discuss putting Pogo to sleep, Sam leaps into action, sneaking off with his dog and a few supplies to sail away. His plan soon leads him to disaster, and it seems as if nature will soon run its course not only for Pogo but Sam as well.
I think I would have liked this story better if I knew more about sailing and shipwrecks. So much of the story I had to imagine in my head without any frame of reference. Or if I was a 12 year old boy. Either way.
I think I would have liked this story better if I knew more about sailing and shipwrecks. So much of the story I had to imagine in my head without any frame of reference. Or if I was a 12 year old boy. Either way.
October 18, 2015
When Sam overhears his parents talking one night he believes they have decided to put their dog Pogo, who is old and has cancer, to sleep. Sam can't bear to lose his dog, especially when his brother Steve had told him to take care of the dog right before he left for Afghanistan, where he was killed. So Sam takes the dog and the sailboat and runs away. He then faces one disaster after another - loses the sailboat, storms, hunger, thirst, stranded on a wrecked ship, fog, sharks. Can Sam and Pogo ever make it home?
It was a little much - really one disaster right after another. And in the end...we don't know what happens to the dog!!!
It was a little much - really one disaster right after another. And in the end...we don't know what happens to the dog!!!
December 17, 2015
I won an ARC copy of Stormstruck! by John Macfarlane from Goodreads. It is a delightful adventure novel for the 8-12 year old child. I became so involved in Sam and his dog Pogo's running-away-from-home trip; I couldn't stop reading!! Sam, who is twelve, grows up during his venture at sea. He learns how to conquer his fears after becoming stranded with Pogo on an old shipwreck. He ends up taking care of Pogo, their older friend, Magnus, who came looking for them, and lastly, himself. This novel has it all: morals, friendship, dealing with loss, bravery, and excitement!!
November 11, 2015
Most intense book I've read in awhile, which should have earned it 4 stars, but I had a hard time believing so many things could go wrong, one after another after another, all the way until the end. Those not familiar with sailing, like me, might have a hard time picturing some of the descriptions. Fans of action driven "boy and his dog" adventures should enjoy this one.
November 19, 2015
A fast paced, exciting read about a boy who decides to take his dog on a sailing trip. The dog has a tumor and he heard his parents discussing putting the dog down, but he promised his big brother he would take care of the dog. His big brother is gone and Sam can't bear the thought of the dog being gone too.
June 1, 2016
Sam is overwhelmed with the idea of his beloved dog, Pogo, being put down. As Sam's choices play out, the reader learns that Sam is grieving over the death of his older brother. I loved the adventure, was sometimes lost during nautical descriptions. I enjoyed Sam's reflections on his feelings, and the ending that leaves the doors open. Good story.
August 27, 2016
I think some kids will like this story. What a boy will do to save his dog! There are some exciting parts to this story, for sure, but a lot of it was lost to me because of all the sailing/boating jargon. I think one must know sailboats to appreciate fully the dire situations that the main character finds himself. Overall, I thought it was enjoyable.
October 14, 2015
I received a copy of this for free through Goodreads First Reads
This is a wonderful little book for middlegraders and late elementary school age kids. The author makes you really feel for little Sam. I plan to let my 10 year old read it next.
This is a wonderful little book for middlegraders and late elementary school age kids. The author makes you really feel for little Sam. I plan to let my 10 year old read it next.
December 1, 2015
Tons of action (tons!), very fast paced and reasonably concise. I agree with other reviewers that it’s heavy on the nautical terminology and the disasters at times feel unlikely, but I still think that many middle grade readers might be captivated by the setting and plot.
January 8, 2016
Use of a lot of technical terms for sailing lost me a couple of time...not much of a boater. But the overall story was satisfying and the thrills were gripping. It reminds me somewhat of The Haymeadow by Paulsen. I think it would be a great book for a read aloud or class read.
March 31, 2016
I really only finished this book because it was short. I found Sam to be impulsive and annoying and thought there was way too much nautical jargon for the age level. I didn't even understand all of it, and I'm at a higher reading level than the target group for this novel.
December 30, 2016
Twelve year old Sam runs away with his beloved and very aged dog to avoid having him put to sleep. The story is action packed, but slightly unbelievable. It is a good tale of a dog's friendship and the trauma of losing a sibling.
November 26, 2015
I couldn't put this book down. One of the most beautiful stories I've read and the ending moved me so deeply.
March 14, 2017
Read with my son and we really liked it. Kept us on the edge of our seat.
May 1, 2017
This is, at best, half a book.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews