The Storm Swimmer

I knew this would be another great read after reading The Lightning Catcher. The Storm Swimmer by Clare Weze is a brilliant, imaginative adventure story with easily relatable themes, characters and settings. Clare always manages to deliver a fantastic story whilst exploring sensitive topics in a heart-warming, age appropriate approach and style.

The story is told by Ginika who lives in London with her parents and is excited about spending the summer with her best friend, Alisha, practicing for the dance show. However, the family have been evicted from their flat and Ginika is forced to move far away to live with her grandparents next to the sea. She moves, reluctantly, leaving her parents in a campervan. The last thing Ginika expected was to meet a new friend, Peri, who lives in the sea. Could the stories be true after all?

The Storm Swimmer is full of imagination and excellent description that draws you in and makes the story believable as well as excellently opening your mind to the possibility of sea people living under the water. I also love the explanations in the author's notes that gives the reader further explanations about how this is all possible and what fuelled Clare's inspiration and determination to write this story.

As well as being a brilliant story, The Storm Swimmer delicately explores the current themes surrounding financial difficulties and outcomes at an age-appropriate level. Ginika also portrays the feelings of confusion, change and worry that surround debt, eviction and family difficulties. However, the story also demonstrates how Ginika adapts to her new home, meeting new friends along her adventure. The story has a great heart-warming ending too. Just like Clare's first book, I would highly recommend The Storm Swimmer for children 9+ (Year 5). Thank you, Clare, for another brilliant book.

336 pages / Reviewed by Nathan Cox, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Ginika has so much to look forward to. It's her last summer holiday before she goes to secondary school and, along with her best friend Alisha, she's preparing to take part in an important dance show. Everything changes when her parents are forced to leave their flat due to money troubles, and Ginika is sent to Cumbria to stay with her grandparents in their boarding house on the coast. She knows its not for long, but she's upset at missing out on everything back home in London. She also feels that her parents are keeping secrets from her.

She tries to settle into life in Cumbria, but finds it difficult at first. Then, while sitting on the beach one day she meets a strange and unusual boy. Peri is a 'Sea Person'. He can ride the waves like a fish, has webbed hands and feet, and his speech is a mix of trills and clicks, his laugh rings like split bells. As the days go by, Ginika grows closer to Peri, learning how to communicate with him. He is fascinated by the street lights he can see from the beach, and Ginika finds a way to take Peri closer to them. Peri and Ginika embark on a series of adventures but, when problems arise, Ginika has to confront her greatest fears to try to avert tragedy.

The Storm Swimmer is a thought-provoking and beautifully written book, with themes of family and friendship running throughout. Ginika is a lovely character, brave and loyal and determined to do the best for Peri. She meets up with Scarlett, whose family own the Bridleways Bay Caravan Park. At first, Scarlett seems overbearing and bossy, teasing Ginika and making her feel uncomfortable. But Ginika comes to realise that she has been unkind to Scarlett too, and has misjudged her. As the story unfolds, Scarlett proves to be a good friend, facing danger with Ginika as they attempt to help Peri.

The conclusion of the story is both satisfying and moving. The book is a clever mix of adventure and science; the author's note at the end of the novel gives the reader a more detailed insight into how the character of Peri was created, and explains his fascination with light. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Ginika and Peri, and would love to know what happens when they meet again!

336 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+