Storm
ISBN: 978 0 435 15998 6 £5.75
Written by: Kevin Crossley-Holland https://www.kevincrossley-holland.com/
Illustrated by: Alan Marks https://www.marksonpaper.co.uk/
Published by: Pearson
First line:
Genre: Folk tale
Age range: 7-11
What’s it about? A young girl, lives in the marshland surrounded by the beautiful flora and fauna (wonderfully illustrated). It’s a remote existence, especially as her dad has to stay at home all the time (recognise that idea – 1985 this first came out!) due to illness and her mum is busy running the home. So little Annie walks to school by herself, which is quite a journey. One that she enjoys, except when it gets dark and she needs to cross the ford, as here, legend says, is the ghost of a highwayman. But, that’s easy to avoid right: don’t travel at night. Except one day, her older sister comes to stay, and she is pregnant. Roll on to the night of a great storm, and Annie needs to head out into it to get a doctor as the phone lines are down. Who is the mysterious stranger who offers her a lift on horseback through the terrible weather?!
Why should I read it?
It’s a great book for Year 2/3 and links nicely to any links with weather or climate if you are teaching those topics. Otherwise, it’s just a beautifully written story, with a simple yet effective story arc.
Kinkajousreadtoo 
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