Shouting at the Rain

February 1, 2019
"The ones that love you protect your feelings because they've been given a piece of you. Others may toss them around for just the same reason."It's the summer that Delsie hears that hard lesson from her grandmother and comes to fully understand what it means. Her best off-Cape friend has returned for the season, but now Brandy, once her soul mate, is wearing makeup and has brought along a mean, snobby friend, Tressa, who's put off by Delsie's dirty, bare feet and near-poverty. Ronan is new to the Cape, too, and at first he's a hard boy to get to know. But Delsie, stunned by Brandy's betrayal, perseveres, realizing that he's just as lonely as she is and that his mother is gone, having sent him away, just as hers is--heartbreakingly lost to alcohol and drugs. A richly embroidered cast of characters, a thoughtful exploration of how real friends treat one another, and the true meaning of family all combine to make this a thoroughly satisfying coming-of-age tale. Cape Cod is nicely depicted--not the Cape of tourists but the one of year-round residents--as is the sometimes-sharp contrast between residents and summer people. The book adheres to the white default; one of Delsie's neighbors hails from St. Croix and wears her hair in an Afro.Hunt (Fish in a Tree, 2017, etc.) has crafted another gentle, moving tale of love and loss: the value of the one and the importance of getting over the other. (Fiction. 10-12)

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April 1, 2019

Gr 3-6-Limned in northeastern sea salt and Adirondack chairs, Hunt's latest offering explores those frustrating preteen years when friends become enemies and family is at once embarrassing and desired. Delsie, obsessed with the weather, lives with her grandmother on the coast, and summers on the coast are always special. But this summer feels different; her best friend seems distant and a new kid in town, Ronan, is confusingly magnetic. Underscoring all of these mixed emotions is Delsie's hurt and turmoil over being abandoned by her mother. Sometimes it feels like her efforts in life amount to "shouting at the rain" or punching a tornado. When push comes to shove, Delsie must decide whether she will embrace the family she's built in her small seaside town. Hunt creates a realistic sketch of small-town life and the agonies of growing up in an imperfect family. VERDICT While the cast lacks racial diversity, the thematic elements of tweenage angst are timeless and relatable.-Amanda C. Buschmann, Carroll Elementary School, Houston

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 22, 2019
Endearingly blunt, stubborn Delsie lives year-round on Cape Cod, where she watches game shows with her Grammy and eagerly consults her weather station. This summer, though, the storm that’s brewing has nothing to do with the weather. Her friend Brandy has begun wearing makeup and made a new friend who doesn’t hide her disdain for Delsie. In addition, everything about the island begins to remind her of the mother who abandoned her when she was little. Delsie finds strength and solace in her neighbors’ kindness and a surprising connection with a new kid, Ronan, who is struggling with his own loss. In kid-friendly prose, Hunt (Fish in a Tree) balances Delsie’s unfettered sense of adventure with her tweenlike insecurities. Socioeconomic disparity between Delsie and her wealthier friends is handled in a matter-of-fact way—it’s apparent, but the author doesn’t linger on it. The book’s coming-of-age lessons about acceptance and friendship, though relevant, can feel didactic; Delsie makes some rather sudden revelations about what’s really important in life. Still, her sweet desire for a family and her unexpected realization that she’s had one all along make this story well worth reading. Ages 10–up.

April 1, 2019
Grades 4-6 It's a summer of change for Delsie when a longtime friend is drawn away into the orbit of a mean girl. Raised by her grandmother alone since her grandfather's death, Delsie lives in a small, tight-knit neighborhood on Cape Cod, where Grammy cleans guest cottages to support them. When someone asks Delsie what it's like to be an orphan, her apparent abandonment by her parents seems to matter as never before. On the other hand, a new kid with a chip on his shoulder gradually opens up to become a new friend she can count on. The first-person narrative clearly shows Delsie's heightened emotional state as she grapples with increasing doubts. But with Grammy's love and homespun wisdom, other supportive adults around her, and a reliable new friend, Delsie ultimately finds all she needs to become more self-assured. In addition to telling Delsie's story in an involving way, Hunt vividly portrays the underlying us-and-them mentality shared by locals in a seaside community that relies on outside visitors. As sweet and summery as lemonade.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)