SuitabookHurricane Child
Kacen Callender
- Reading
- Read alongside the child if the bullying, spirit or parental absence feels troubling. Pause to distinguish what Caroline experiences from what the story asks readers to believe, and revisit feelings about the ending afterwards.
- Themes
- Friendship and belonging: The book addresses friendship and belonging; the detail of how it is developed remains unclear. The friendship is presented as important to Caroline, but its longer-term meaning and development are unclear.
- Family absence and searching: Caroline’s mother’s unexplained absence prompts a search during a hurricane. The missing-parent situation drives the story, but the reasons, consequences and resolution remain unclear.
- Emerging feelings: Caroline begins to develop a crush on Kalinda and must confront those feelings. The crush is part of Caroline’s emotional journey, but the book’s treatment and outcome are not established.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the reader would welcome a story involving persistent bullying, a missing parent, a frightening spirit and dangerous weather. The treatment and ending of these elements are not fully clear.