Kendall's Storm by Janet Muirhead Hill
Ten-year-old Kendall Ralston navigates a life of constant upheaval as his secretive father moves them from town to town, never staying long enough for Kendall to settle in. Lonely and yearning for stability, Kendall finds solace in a puppy he rescues during a Montana hailstorm, naming it Storm. This loyal companion becomes his anchor as he grapples with unanswered questions about his past—especially about his twin sister, Kyleah, whom he hasn’t seen since he was four. Clutching her photo, Kendall dreams of reuniting with her, but his father refuses to discuss her, their mother, or his mysterious job, which Kendall imagines involves being an FBI secret agent.
School is a struggle, as frequent moves prevent Kendall from completing a full year. When they arrive at the Long Beach Peninsula in southwestern Washington, Kendall is unsettled by the stormy beach and the daunting Columbia River bridge. He hopes for a quick departure, but his father decides to stay—until legal trouble forces him to flee again. In this turmoil, Kendall meets Lani, a compassionate woman he believes is an angel. With Storm’s unwavering loyalty and Lani’s guidance, Kendall discovers his own resilience and courage to stand up for what he believes in, forging a path toward hope and self-discovery.
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Review by: Wilson James on May 18, 2010 :
It was a good thing I started reading this book on a Sunday morning, because once I started I could not stop. This narrative absolutely kept me riveted right to the end. "Kendall’s Storm" was truly a great read, even as it kept me on the edge of my seat and took me places I didn’t always want to go.
This book may be fiction, but it has a sincerity and ring of truth throughout. Through the characters’ eyes and personal experiences, one learns (again) just how badly we, as a society, treat our youngest and weakest members. Through the empathetic storytelling of Janet Muirhead Hill, we also experience a coming of age with the certainty that love, affection and attention can make a profound and positive difference in a child’s life.
This was a wonderful, thought-provoking, and intense book, and I sincerely recommend it.
It was a good thing I started reading this book on a Sunday morning, because once I started I could not stop. This narrative absolutely kept me riveted right to the end. "Kendall’s Storm" was truly a great read, even as it kept me on the edge of my seat and took me places I didn’t always want to go.
This book may be fiction, but it has a sincerity and ring of truth throughout. Through the characters’ eyes and personal experiences, one learns (again) just how badly we, as a society, treat our youngest and weakest members. Through the empathetic storytelling of Janet Muirhead Hill, we also experience a coming of age with the certainty that love, affection and attention can make a profound and positive difference in a child’s life.
This was a wonderful, thought-provoking, and intense book, and I sincerely recommend it.
It's hard to make any sort of life when you have to start anew every few months. "Kendall's Storm" is a young adult novel from Janet Muirhead Hill as she tells of Kendall, a ten-year-old boy whose life gets uprooted every few months. Lonely, an encounter with a lost puppy may change Kendall's life forever. "Kendall's Storm" is a fine pick for young adult fiction collections, recommended. Also recommended is "Kendall and Kyleah," continuing Kendall's journey and meeting with Kyleah (from "Kyleah's Tree".
You produce characters that simultaneously can be repellent and sympathetic, which allows the reader not simply to judge them as good or bad, but to understand the deeper contexts surrounding and affecting their struggles and choices.
— Aurora Mackey, PhD, educator, editor and author
— Aurora Mackey, PhD, educator, editor and author
Editions:
2010 electronic ISBN: 978-0-9827377-1-2
The payment function on the Raven Publishing website is currently not available. I hope to get it fixed soon. In the meantime, order any book by contacting me at janet@ravenpublishing.net. Shipping will be free until we have the website functioning again.
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2011 Paperback 230 pages ISBN: 978-0-9820893-0-9
The payment function on the Raven Publishing website is currently not available. I hope to get it fixed soon. In the meantime, order any book by contacting me at janet@ravenpublishing.net. Shipping will be free until we have the website functioning again.
$12.00