A boy and his grandad set off on a windy kite-flying adventure.
It's blowing up a storm, and a boy and his grandad decide it's the perfect weather for kite-flying. There's just one problem - first they have to find the kite. Their search brings up lots of wonderful memories of previous adventures together, but when they finally make it outside, their adventure really takes off!
About the Author :
Sam graduated from the University of W est England and his debut picture book Can You See Sassoon? w as shortlisted for the W aterstones Prize and the Red House Children's Book Aw ard. He is particularly admired for his technical draw ing skill and prow ess w ith w atercolour. Also a talented pianist, w hen he's not holding a pen and w obbling at paper you'll find him perfecting a fiendishly difficult piece of Chopin.He is also creator of the bestselling seasonal series about a boy and his grandfather.
Review :
Storm by Sam Usher is the final installment in the quartet of seasonal books which highlight the special relationship a boy has with his grandfather, as well as beautifully depicting the changing weather and landscapes around us. In this book, it's blowing a gale and the boy and his grandfather decide that it's perfect kite-flying weather! (Now personally I think it's a don't try this at home sort of story as it's far too stormy to actually fly a kite but we will let this book have some artistic license because it makes for a wonderful and atmospheric story.) But, of course, they can't find the kite. Isn't this always the way? As they search through the cupboards for their beloved kite, they happen across a whole cacophony of items that allow them to reminisce of wonderful memories of their days out together and the special bond that they have. And each page of the search is interspersed with the increasingly stormy weather developing outside, including a rather hilarious elderly gent who gets more and more swept up by the storm! When they do eventually find their kite and make it outside, they have their best adventure yet. So much so that they actually take flight!
The magic of this book, for me, comes from the incredibly dramatic illustrations of the stormy weather, so much so that as you gaze at the pictures you can almost hear the wind blowing (or perhaps that's just me because it's blowing a gale here as I type). The colour-palette of the greys of the sky is truly perfect when set in contrast against the bright rainbow of kites that tear across it in the breeze. The selection of autumnal leaves which swirl on each page are crafted so beautifully you can feel their movement. This book really is a wonder!
Previous titles in the series include Rain, Sun and Snow, and the children all knew why I had chosen the book for this week - they talked excitedly about the recent rain and strong winds and how the leaves were falling from the trees. One of the most popular activities at playtime recently has been gathering mounds of multi-coloured leaves and pretending they are mountains to dominate and explore. The children loved the evocative language used in the book when describing the wind - 'blustered and blew', 'huffed and 'howled' and 'whistled and whooshed'. Not only do these words sound perfect for the noise the wind makes, but their onomatopeic nature inspired the children to have a go at making the sounds themselves. The illustrations complement the words perfectly, with the windy scenes in particular creating a sense not just of movement but whirling, natural chaos.
My young audience was particularly captivated by the kite-flying scenes, calling out all the shapes and sizes, from a Chinese dragon to a massive whale. We talked about times when we'd flown a kite (most of my experiences have not been impressive!) and then, during library lunchtime, we decorated kite shapes as an activity.
This is a delightful story that not only makes us think about the weather but also how different family members can have fun together. A great book for everyone, but especially a boy to share with his fun-loving grandfather.
Storm is the fourth in a series of books from writer and illustrator Sam Usher which follow a young boy and the adventures he has with his grandad in the snow, rain, sun and now, a storm. Every book starts in the same way; the boy wakes up, looks out of his window and discovers something exciting.Full of enthusiasm he races to find his grandad, desperate to have an adventure. He just can't decide what to do, but grandad knows that a windy day is the best day to fly a kite of course. They search the house high and low for the kite and there are some beautifully touching moments where they find items they used in their previous adventures and reminisce.There's so much excitement in getting everything perfect that the boy and his grandad are always slightly delayed in getting out to experience the extreme weather. During this time the weather becomes more dramatic than ever with lively illustrations of what's going on just outside the front door.When they're finally ready they step out and the adventures can really begin. These books build up the action so gently from what is a normal activity to a crescendo that breaks the barrier between real life and imagination. One minute they are flying their kites on a blustery hill and the next they are really flying, swooping amongst the clouds with fantastical kite creatures.The bond between grandchild and grandparent is truly special and these two capture the essence of it perfectly. Sam Usher's watercolour illustrations are wonderfully grand but also tender and full of affection. All the books leave you feeling warm and snug, which is exactly what you need on a stormy autumn day.
Written and illustrated by Sam Usher and published by Templar Publishing, STORM is the fourth and final instalment in a beautiful seasonal series of books, which celebrate the special relationship between a little boy and his grandad.As we had previously read RAIN, SUN and SNOW, we were very much looking forward to finding out what new adventure STORM would bring. It is a real delight to share another joy-filled day with this imaginative duo. As they search for their kite, we gain a glimpse of adventures past: a game of cricket, a boat trip and a visit to a secret cave! Then when they do eventually locate the kite, we join them on yet another fun-filled trip to the park.
This heartwarming story is completed by Sam Usher's timeless and atmospheric illustrations. The way in which he captures the wildness of the weather outside, and contrasts it with the comforting memories the pair find within the house, is very special indeed. As too is his level of detail and his ability to create expression and movement on the page. All the images are beautiful but the double spreads are particularly wonderful!
STORM may be the final book in the series but it is definitely our favourite and it is perfect for curling up under a blanket and reading this Autumn.
Storm is part of a series of fictional books that are based around seasons. The other titles in the series are, Snow, Rain and Sun.
Storm celebrates a loving and respectful relationship between a grandfather and his grandson as shown in the previous books. It's wonderful to meet the familiar characters again and witness natural conversations between the two of them.
It's proving to be a windy day in the story and the young boy is excited at the prospect of exploring the outdoors. His granddad suggests flying a kite but they need to find it first. As they search all over the house they each find different items. The various items they find are representative of wonderful memories that will also remind readers of adventures they've read about from Sam Usher's previous books.Thankfully the kite is found and off they go on their outdoor adventure. They aren't the only ones who thought to fly a kite on such a windy day. As the wind becomes stronger they both swoop and fly with the kite but with the weather becoming more intense they, thankfully, land safely and head home.Sam Usher does a brilliant job at creating interesting, dramatic illustrations with a sprinkle of magic. His colourful artwork so wonderfully captures the delightful colours found during autumn time and the sense of movement and wind blustering outside is so realistic.
The format of the story is similar to previous books written but the familiarity in its structure will be welcomed by young readers. The simple storyline makes this a great book to be enjoyed by preschoolers and up, who I am sure will also be in awe of the gorgeously detailed illustrations.
