I really enjoyed Storm by Nicola Skinner - super cute story with relateable characters! Definitely a book that younger readers will fall in love with.
Genuinely devoured this in one sitting!

I waited with baited breath for the announcement of Nicola Skinner's second book. And after reading Storm, I can safely say it was worth the wait. Storm is a girl much like any other... she sometimes gets a bit angry, but who doesn't? However, something is about to happen to her family. Something that will change things, forever. No spoilers, just immerse yourself and see. This book is unlike any other I have read for this age group. And that is an awesome thing - witty, insightful, compelling... So frank and brave. Pick this up for your kids or read it for yourself and wonder at the impeccable writing and imagination of Nicola Skinner. She combines them with morals so effortlessly they make you think they aren't even there. But the messages are important, and they are there.

A brilliant blend of Beasts of Clawstone Castle and Beetlejuice, I really enjoyed this book and deeply appreciate the author’s refusal to mollycoddle her young readers. I would have loved to read this when I was a child for its strangeness and ghoulish humour.

Wholly original and hugely imaginative tale that somehow makes the posthumous adventures of a child ghost hugely relatable and emotional! Genuine surprises in the inventive, engaging plot. Brilliant stuff for JF readers nearly ready for meatier teen reads.

A perfectly crafted story which defies easy categorisation. I was swept along by Frankie's forceful personality and unconventional charm and thought the weaving of themes of grief, family, friendship and identity were done with the deftest of touches. As well as being moving and exciting, I also found it surprisingly funny. This story will stay with me a long time. Highly recommended!

Born in a storm, Frankie carries rage with her where ever she goes. A firm temper and quick reactions make Frankie hard to get along with and her parents constantly urge her to calm down and think before she makes things worse.
On the last day of Christmas holidays, Frankie convinces her family to travel from their hilltop home to a restaurant on the pier. There are plenty of people there and walking around the town. When the world goes eerily quiet, trouble is on the way, and sure enough when they look out the window, the sea doesn’t look normal.
Unsure of what has happened, Frankie checks herself over- finding herself wet, full of sand and shells and missing her fingernails. She also appears to be alone, She can’t find her sister or her parents and so heads for home where she waits and wait. When a rescue crew arrives at her home, she is unable to communicate with them and they cannot see her- it is then the shocking truth hits Frankie.
Coming to terms with the truth and controlling her rage are all she can do now. Some helpful advice from a character named Jill, a carer for the Under 12’s, allows Frankie moments of calm. Special drops allow her to sleep until someone comes home, then she can awaken and see her family, who she still awaits.
Waking up, Frankie believes her family have come home but a significant period of time has passed and her family home is now deemed a historic property and tourist attraction. Rage burns inside her as she watches endless people trample through the rooms she knows and loves. Being unseen and unheard have taken their toll on Frankie and she is desperate for someone to see her. Time to meet Scanlon.
Able to see and hear Frankie, Scanlon visits more and more, befriending her and listening to her story.
However, Scanlon is hiding a secret and it threatens to take Frankie away from all she has ever known.
Frankie’s rage becomes famous and she is finally able to let it loose, and it feels good!
Remembering Jill and her advice make Frankie rethink her rage. It has always been the cause of her family problems, the strain on their love for her, and so now she has to face up to this.

This book is surprising, full of twists and heart wrenching moments. Both Frankie and Scanlon have to face their fears, harness their emotions and do the right thing in order to be free!
An incredible journey of friendship, truth and family- you may not have a dry eye at the end of this one.