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Foley, Jessie Ann

Severe and Unusual Weather

272 pp. | HarperCollins/Quill Tree | May, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9780063207783 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780063207806 $8.99
(2) 4-6 When Nadine moves to Centralia, Illinois, to live with her grandmother while her mom goes to rehab for drug addiction, her goal is to keep her head down, stay out of middle school drama, and get back to Chicago as soon as possible. That becomes impossible when she and sixth-grade outcast Francis Pepper are paired together on a local history project. They decide to research the F4 tornado that destroyed half the town and killed Francis's mother -- a choice of topic that raises eyebrows and puts them on the wrong side of the city's mayor. As Nadine and Francis dive into Centralia's history, they uncover secrets and outcomes that make their project a threat to the mayor's interests. Nadine is an engaging protagonist, cautious and jaded after growing up with her mother's addiction, but not entirely cynical. Francis is intriguing, largely unbothered by his outcast status but also hungry for Nadine's friendship. The novel's weather-related magical elements, which are not hinted at in the first third of the book, feel almost secondary, but everything is brought to a satisfying and heartfelt resolution. Mayor Trev's role as antagonist is obvious from his first appearance on the page, but the extent of his villainy comes as a surprise. Throughout, Foley balances deep topics with tween drama and handles both with aplomb.
Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

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