Blown Away! (Hardcover)

by Joan Hiatt Harlow (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
It's the summer of 1935, and in the sleepy Florida Keys, thirteen-year-old Jake Pitney's life is quiet and easy. But all of this changes once Jake begins helping out the town's eccentric fisherman, Sharkey, with work.

On a trip to Key West, Jake is dumbfounded when Sharkey buys a mule named Jewel and her faithful sidekick, a dog named Rudy. Despite their troublemaking ways, Jake grows fond of the mischievous duo and their owner. All the while, Jake is trying to befriend Mara, the new girl in town, whose life has been filled with sadness.

During the Labor Day holiday, an unpredictable Atlantic hurricane hits Jake's hometown with devastating speed and power, reducing the island to shambles. Jake is determined to find his family, along with Sharkey and Mara. But he may need help from some unlikely sources.

From the bestselling author of Star in the Storm and Thunder from the Sea comes a gripping story of strength and determination in the face of uncontrollable circumstances. Based on actual events, Joan Hiatt Harlow's tale explores friendship, loyalty, and ultimately, hope.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
MARA 5

The train stopped at Islamorada right on time, and Dad was there with the truck to meet us. I'll never forget the look on his face when we paraded Jewel and Rudy down the ramp and onto the dirt road.

"Am I seeing right?" Dad asked.

"You're seeing right, Dad!" I yelled, pushing the tipsy wheelbarrow, with the dog trotting along behind me. "Sharkey bought a mule and a dog in Key West!" Sharkey led Jewel nicely this time. The mule was probably tired of the train ride and eager to keep Rudy in her sights.

"She's a pretty thing, isn't she?" Sharkey said proudly as Jewel nuzzled his arm.

"Her name's Jewel," I told Dad. "The dog came with her. His name's Rudy."

"My game leg's been bothering me, and I thought the mule could help pull the boats in when they need work -- that kind of thing," Sharkey explained.

"I suppose a mule could come in handy," Dad agreed.

"Mules have put this whole country together," Sharkey went on, somewhat defensively, as if he had to explain that he wasn't totally crazy to have come home with Jewel. "They took the pioneers out West, they built the Erie Canal..."

"They work in the coal mines," an unfamiliar girl's voice piped up. "I've seen them down there hauling the coal cars. Some of them have never seen the light of day." The girl was sitting on the steps of the train station. Beside her was a battered cardboard suitcase that looked as though it might fall apart at any moment. I wondered if she was traveling by herself.

She went up to Jewel and petted her nose. Jewel seemed to like it. "Excuse me. I couldn't help overhearing. I love mules, as you can probably tell. And this one is pretty, and sweet, too." The girl's long red hair, which was held back with a white headband, reminded me of Rudy's tail. I felt a bit ashamed when the thought crossed my mind; comparing a girl's hair to a dog's tail wasn't very nice. But Rudy's tail was beautiful -- long and silky -- and the girl's hair, which fell to her waist, was long and silky too.

"I was to meet my aunt Edith here, but she's late. Can you tell me how to find Edith Kraynanski's house?" she asked.

Dad and I looked at each other in surprise. Edith Kraynanski was a Polish lady who had lived alone in her tidy little house for as long as I could remember. She was known for the delicious Polish food that she often shared with her neighbors. We never knew she had any family. "I'll show you where she lives," I offered. "But first I should help Sharkey with the mule and the dog."

"I'll give