Very suspenseful and a great next step for fans of the "I Survived" series. It might also intrigue readers to learn about the real extreme weather events.

I like the level of complexity here. We have a hurricane from several perspectives: a young Puerto Rican boy, an American teen, a disaster official, and even a sea bird. We see how the growth of the storm effects each of them of course, but also how other circumstances affect their reaction to the growing storm. The complexity gets a bit disorganized and suffers from some believability issues. Okay for a one-off read but wouldn't stand up to a repeat.

I really loved this book, and I think the kids in my life, especially those between the ages of 9 and 12, will love it too. There are several young characters kids will be able to relate to, along with an exciting adventure story. This would work as a book for a child to read for pleasure, as well as one an adult could read with a child, with so many educational opportunities- weather systems, geography, etc.

Fast-paced read with lots of excitement, great for reluctant readers and fans of the I Survived series. There’s a lot going on as Hurricane Valerie hits Puerto Rico and develops into a megastorm on its way to New Orleans. The chapters switch between the various characters in different locations, but I found Emily and Elliott, the two New Orleans kids, to be the most compelling. Emily has been unable to interact with her brother Elliott due to his illness, and has become resentful toward her mother. This human drama gives an added dimension to the drama of the natural disaster.

Emily lives in New Orleans with her mother and older brother, Elliot, who has been very sick. Her father works on offshore oil rigs. Emily is not happy that the most exciting thing about her summer is going to be reading My Side of the Mountain, because her mother is being overprotective of her brother and doesn't want Emily to have any fun! Alejo lives in Puerto Rico, where he helps his padrino (godfather) do yardwork at a fancy hotel. His mother lives in New York City but hasn't been able to send for him yet. Both children make poor choices when Megastorm Valerie starts to head toward both of their homes. Emily is concerned with some of the wild life in Audubon Park, and at some point even brings a turtle home with her. She misses hanging out with her brother and is angry at her mother, so when her mother is worried that Emily has a cold that could compromise Elliot's health, she's happy that her mother sends her off to stay with a friend... who has just left town. She hangs out in the park, sleeping in trees, and doesn't answer her mother's phone calls. Alejo is working at the hotel, and when the staff is told to evacuate, he stays behind, since he doesn't know where his padrino is. He even goes back to their apartment as the storm comes closer, and ignores the neighborhood women who are evacuating. Luckily, a reporter whose van he stole comes to his rescue in a helicopter. Alejo ends up in New Orleans, near where Emily is staying. Her father has driven through the storm, having been evacuated from the oil rig, and her mother is frantic that she can't find Emily, and that Elliot is also missing, having gone to look for his sister. A weather service crew is in the process of evacuating, and tries to reunite Emily and her parents, but it's touch and go. Eventually, everyone makes it to safety, but it is a harrowing trip to get there!

Strengths: There have not been a lot of storm survival books lately; after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, there were a few, mostly involving dogs, but those are now all historical fiction! This was more interesting, because there were lots of weather details about the storm mixed in with lots of action and survival. While survival books aren't wildly popular in my library, there is always a need for new ones. The storm depicted is a fictional one, but the details are reflective of weather events students see in the news all the time.
Weaknesses: I did not like either Emily or Alejo, since their foolish, selfish actions put so many people in danger! I also could have done without the chapters from the birds' point of view, but those are both purely personal preferences.
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this title to hand this to readers of Smith's Storm Runners or Messner's Eye of the Storm. The cover is fantastic, and the this has a timeless feel that will give it a long shelf life.

Ms. Yingling

Interest Level: 3-6

Imagine you live at the beach and a tropical storm is coming your way. Do you worry? Not if you are Alejo. He lives in Puerto Rico and has spent his whole life living right beside the shore. His padrino works at a luxurious resort and when forecasts of a tropical storm come their way, no one worries. They take their customary precautions and then turn it into a party. What no one realizes is that Tropical Storm Valerie will soon turn into Hurricane Valerie and then Megastorm Valerie. Alejo's padrino leaves the resort to go board up their home, leaving Alejo at the resort. As Alejo begins to realize the severity of the storm, he has to find a way to get home to warn his padrino. He "borrows" a weather channel van (even though he isn't even old enough to have a driver's license) and manages his way through the blinding wind and rain to get to his padrino. When he gets home no one is in sight and he finds a note from his padrino that he has gone to higher ground. As the water is rising will Alejo be able to get to safety? Now imagine that you live about 1,600 miles away in New Orleans, LA. Should you worry about this storm? Emily hears the reports on the television but the sun is out so there so why should she worry? She has bigger things to worry about, like the fact that her brother has been diagnosed with cancer and is quarantined in his room. Her dad is working about 40 miles out in the ocean on an oil rig and her mom is too tired to even know she exists. With her brother being so sick she has lost her best friend and she feels completely alone. She decides to have an adventure and send pictures back to her brother so she goes a place that she has always been too afraid to go - a small island surrounded by the park and the zoo. She wades through the murky water and befriends an injured goose and a shy turtle. When her phone goes dead, no one can get in touch with her and Megastorm Valerie is bearing down on Louisiana. Elliot, her brother, sneaks out to find her. Will Emily's dad make it back to help save his family? Will Elliot find Emily, and even if he does, will he live through the adventure? And with all of this going on, how will Alejo, Emily, and Elliot's lives intersect during Megastorm Valerie? Read this edge-of-your-seat 2019 book!!

I don't say "holy cow" about a book very often, but this is an exception! Holy Cow!! This book will grab your breath from the beginning and will hold it until the last page. Nick Courage weaves a tale of intense action, nail-bitting suspense, and twist and turns that will leave you reeling!! He is a masterful storyteller and the way twists and intertwines the lives of these kids is astonishing! Do not miss this one!!!!

What an exciting and action filled book!! This is a book that will appeal to all children, even the one's that hate to read. This book should be in every elementary school library. Thank you Random House Children's via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a thrill! Non-stop action told from a variety of perspectives (even animals!) in different locations during a Megastorm...highly recommended!

This book was face paced and fun. I think students will breeze through this book, even reluctant readers. I will definitely be purchasing this for my elementary library.

An exciting and engaging book. Nick Courage does an excellent job of weaving together the varying perspectives in the story. Some readers may react negatively to a story involving a hurricane in Puerto Rico given recent events, but I think the author handles it well. This book will appeal to reluctant readers who want a fast-paced read.