We Are Still Tornadoes

September 12, 2016
Scott and Cath, best friends since the age of five, are now separated by hundreds of miles while she is off at college in North Carolina and he remains in Maryland, working at his father’s clothing shop. The next year in their friendship, 1982 to 1983, unfolds as a series of letters. Playful banter, private jokes, dark family secrets, and major life changes are all explored in the intimate exchanges, with stationery headers subtly denoting shifts in location and circumstance. The effect is a bit like snooping through someone else’s mail as adult author Kun (Everybody Says Hello) and newcomer Mullen craft separate and authentic voices for their protagonists. There are a few hiccups when the format becomes an illogical plot device, as when it’s used to deliver news of a sudden death, despite the availability of telephones. But more often than not the correspondence allows for a deep understanding of Scott and Cath’s thoughts, feelings, and ruminations on the events changing their lives. Ages 12–up. Agent: Steven Axelrod, Axelrod Agency.

An exchange of letters (hey, it's 1982!) between two longtime best friends strengthens their relationship. Scott's first letter to Cath thanks her for "four years of English homework" and wishes her well in college. His next letter contains both spelling mistakes and hilariously misused quotation marks. But in spite of deliberately downplaying his decision to underachieve, skip college, and work at the family business, both Scott's voice and Cath's reminder that he's "way smarter" than most people at her college set the stage for his potential regret. And working at his dad's clothing store does set up situations in which customers' behaviors do make Scott feel socially diminished and frustrated. But the job also expands his relationship with his father, which Scott appreciates during reflective moments. Meanwhile, Cath finds college enlightening, though her roommate and navigating the college dating scene present challenges. Her parents' divorce and the impending birth of her half sister further strain her academic focus. Through it all Scott and Cath's letters perfectly capture the richness of their relationship--from silly inside jokes to heartfelt support during crisis moments and even occasionally very real frustration with the other's decisions. Their unflinchingly honest voices as they navigate the transition to adulthood create the book's emotional resonance. Racial identity never figures in the correspondence. Though there's tantalizing potential romance, the novel is mostly a love story to best friends everywhere. Smart, charming, and delightful. (Historical fiction. 13 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2016

Gr 10 Up-Scott and Cath have been friends since they were children, having grown up across the street from each other. When Cath goes to college and Scott stays home to work at his dad's clothing store, they start writing letters. This novel is set in the 1980s, before the time of texting, FaceTime, and email. During their first year apart, the former neighbors help each other through family crisis, crazy roommates, a budding music career, and more. They quickly realize that despite life's twists and turns, they always have each other. Told via correspondence, this is a funny, warm, and realistic picture of a friendship that remains strong even with distance. The authors' collaboration is seamless, with the characters adding humor to this timely story that delicately examines the emotional turmoil of long-distance friendship. Hysterically funny, Scott, with his overuse of quotation marks and misspellings, in contrast to a more levelheaded Cath, will have readers laughing throughout. While not all of today's teens will comprehend the 1980s music references, they will relate to the deep bond that the two teens share. VERDICT Perfect for the most reluctant of readers, especially young people contemplating life after high school. A must-purchase for public library collections.-Erin Holt, Williamson County Public Library, Franklin, TN

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Scott and Cath have been best friends for their entire lives, so when Cath goes to college and Scott stays home, it's only natural that they write each other lettersactual snail mail, since it's 1982, after all. Through their letters, Scott and Cath share everything from Cath's father's affair, Scott struggling with staying at home while his friends have moved on, Cath's roommate drama, and Scott's new band. Through it all, they may discover that what they've always looked for is right in front of them. This epistolary novel is a quick, lighthearted love story with plenty of 1980s' references to ground the story in its time. Scott and Cath have distinct voices, perhaps aided by the dual authorship, and although the end result will be telegraphed from the beginning, their relationship develops over time and isn't without its struggles. Readers aching for a combination of the '80s and a romance like Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park (2013) will be stoked to find this wicked, gnarly, and totally righteous novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)