Book Review: The Storm in the Barn

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Phelan, Matt. 2009. THE STORM IN THE BARN. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this graphic novel set during the dust bowl of the Great Depression, young Jack wants nothing more than to be helpful to his family. Kansas hasn't seen rain in four years, and the children barely even remember what it was like. He is harassed by the local gang of bullies, and many adults, including his own father think that he is worthless--possibly because of a condition they call "dust dementia". Jack does find some support from his pneumonia stricken sister and a kindly general store owner who likes to tell him "jack stories" in the hopes of boosting the child's confidence. An abandoned barn seems to beckon Jack inside, even in the middle of the night. When Jack visits the barn, he knows that something is not right. There are puddles on the floor and an odd smell in the air. One day, Jack decides to figure out what is going on in the barn and discovers a monster made of rain, or the rain king. The monster taunts Jack and tells him that the more the rain refuses to fall, the more power it gains over people. Jack defeats the monster by stealing it's bag of thunder and causing the rain to fall. In the end, all seems to be well and Jack is received by his father with open arms.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
It is amazing how Phelan is able to tell such a moving and wonderfully detailed story with so few words. The only text here is dialog; the rest of the story is told entirely through brilliant pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations. One would have to write a paragraph to match the depth of emotion in one character's facial expression as drawn by Phelan. Most of the color used in the drawing reflects the dull, depressing mood of the setting. He judiciously uses color just when most important. For example, the shame of the jackrabbit drive is reflected in the bright red blood stains on Jack's father's lead pipe.

As an eleven year old boy, Jack faces a world that hasn't seen rain since he was seven. Even so, young readers will be able to relate to Jack. Bullies have not changed in seventy years, nor has the urge to be respected by your parents.

The author includes a little bit at the end of the book about how he decided to write about the dust bowl, and how he did his research. Readers who enjoy this story will find this section particularly helpful because Phelan divulges what books and movies inspired him most, so that others may enjoy them too.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
starred review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "complex but accessible and fascinating book"
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "kids will identify with Jack and appreciate his success"

5. CONNECTIONS
*Give students a story that they must retell using pictures.
*Gather non-fiction books about the causes and experience of the dust bowl.