Hurricane

Publishers Weekly

Set in a tiny village in Honduras, Trueman's (Stuck in Neutral) novel is based on Hurricane Mitch and the devastation it wrought in 1998, and informed by the author's experiences teaching in San Pedro Sula in 1981-1982. Trueman explains in an endnote that Mitch was the worst storm to hit the Caribbean in 200 years: as the 13-year-old narrator, José, experiences it, Mitch is cataclysmic. Striking while José's father, older brother and sister are out on the road, the calamitous weather induces a mudslide that destroys all but two of the houses in the village and buries most of the residents. It falls to José to conquer his fear and be the man of the house. Trueman doesn't flinch from the grislier facts (in one scene, José leads a dig for groceries and finds the corpse of the grocer), but although he describes José's thoughts and reactions he stints on the sensory details. Accordingly, readers will understand the impact of the storm, while the style and the almost miraculous happy ending may insulate them from feeling too much of it for themselves. An addendum links this novel (first published in a different form in the U.K. in 2003) with the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Ages 10-up. (Mar.)

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Children's Literature - Heather Christensen

Opening his door after Hurricane Mitch ravages his Honduran village, thirteen-year-old Jose is shocked to discover that his house is one of two that remain standing. Some buildings are completely buried by the mud, inhabitants and all. No family is unaffected, and Jose's father, brother, and sister are among the thousands who are missing, possibly dead. Jose must draw on an inner strength and courage to care for his family and lead the village in its recovery efforts. Trueman vividly portrays the frightening storm and its devastating consequences, but it is the heroic efforts of Jose and his fellow villagers that are the heart of this story. This fictional account of actual events underscores the determination of the human spirit to fight against insurmountable odds. The author's direct language drives the adventure and drama of the story forward. Jose, an insecure and uncertain teen whose great love for family and country propels him to action, will resonate strongly with many teens. This book could easily supplement a unit on natural disasters or be used to spark a discussion on the social issues encountered during such calamities. Originally published in the UK as Swallowing the Sun in 2003. Reviewer: Heather Christensen

VOYA - Daniel Antell

This book contains an interesting story about a boy overcoming his fears of losing his family and his community. The building blocks of the story are fine tuned and make the book seem more intense by the minute. The condition and movement of the story leave the reader with a sense of completion at the end.

VOYA - Jenny Ingram

Thirteen-year-old Jose lives with his family in Honduras. A hurricane hits, causing the recently clear-cut hillside adjacent to his village to become a mudslide that smothers and kills most of its fifty inhabitants. Jose's father, elder brother, and elder sister are away, so Jose looks after his mother and two younger siblings while little by little, the surviving residents of the village find their way to his house and work together to find food and water, dig out the bodies of their neighbors, and contact the outside world. Unaccustomed to holding any position of responsibility, Jose quickly takes charge and becomes a resourceful member of his ailing community. This survival tale is concise but engaging. Trueman's descriptions of the village buried in mud and of the difficulties it creates for the survivors are vivid. Jose's first-person narrative lets the reader in on his emotions as he works through the disaster, remembering his now-dead neighbors, worrying about his absent family members and his dog, and carrying on through exhaustion. His intellect also serves him well: As the brainy child in his family, Jose attends a special international school, and his knowledge of English allows him to communicate with the international aid workers when they arrive. Leisure readers will enjoy this exciting novel, and teachers also will find it useful in the classroom.

KLIATT

AGERANGE: Ages 12 to 15.

When a storm unlike any other--1998’s Hurricane Mitch--hits Honduras, the world of 13-year-old José and his family is forever changed. Only two houses are left standing in their small village after the hurricane, and a mudslide has buried many of the residents. José’s father, older brother and sister are away, and José must act as the man of the house, coming to the aid of whomever he can and digging for canned goods in the mud so they can all survive. When his little brother falls ill, José must go for help, despite the dangers he faces. This is a simple but powerful story, with appeal to adventure fans as well as reluctant readers. Trueman, author of Stuck in Neutral and other YA novels, has taught in Honduras. At the end of the novel he provides some statistics on the deadly impact of Mitch, the worst storm to hit the Caribbean in 200 years, and points out that people in the US experienced something like what José went through when Hurricane Katrina hit. An engrossing and sobering tale. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick
March 2008 (Vol. 42, No.2)

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8- Thirteen-year-old José loves soccer, his family, and his small village in Honduras. In 1998, when Hurricane Mitch hits, his beloved dog runs off and his father, older brother, and sister are away from home. José struggles to remain strong for his younger brother and sisters and helps his mother deal with water pouring in through their roof. As soon as the rain and wind subside, he ventures out to discover that nearly every house in their close-knit community has been completely destroyed by a mudslide. With 33 of the 56 residents dead and his father, brother, and sister missing, the teen finds himself acting as man of the house and a leader in his ravaged village. Narrated by José, the story is tragic and suspenseful without being sensationalized. The boy's inner struggle is well developed as he fights to do what must be done. Ultimately, he rises to the challenge, digging up dead bodies, finding food, and seeking medical help for his sick younger brother. José is an admirable character, and his story moves along at a quick pace that will sustain the attention of even reluctant readers.-Melinda Piehler, Sawgrass Elementary School, Sunrise, FL

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Kirkus Reviews

Trueman strains credulity in his fictional recounting of the devastation wrought upon Honduras by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The first-person narrator is 13-year-old Jose Cruz whose family lives in a typically small but close-knit village. One very rainy day his older sister, father and much-idolized older brother make the 17-mile drive to the main business area. As the storm worsens, Jose and the rest of the family hear the radio announcement that the storm is now a Category 5 hurricane. While Jose and Mama pretend their missing family members are fine, a mudslide obliterates every house in the village-except the Cruz's and one other one. Many friends have died. Jose and others organize the many necessary and gruesome tasks for continuing survival. Still, Jose's younger brother nearly dies from an infection due to conditions. After five days of uncertainty, Trueman reunites every member of the Cruz family, including the family dog, to survive-thus, ending things quite tidily. Reluctant readers may enjoy the plot-driven story of continual peril, but it probably won't leave any lasting impression. (Fiction. 8-11)