Runaway Storm [Hardcover]

D. E. Knobbe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2010

This first book in D. E. Knobbe's gripping Runaway series puts readers in the middle of a wilderness adventure that few could survive on their own.

Nate stole the kayak . . . sort of. His parents don't know where he is, and that's just fine with him. He's made it to the chain of sparsely populated islands off the coast of Vancouver, his kayaking dream come true. So what could possibly go wrong?

For starters, he hadn't counted on real runaways making him feel like a fraud or on the cops chasing him into a wild and deadly storm. Nate hadn't planned to shipwreck on a deserted island either, or to have a run-in with a crazed drug smuggler, who drifted into the bay on a crippled Sailboat, ready to protect his stash with a loaded gun.

Should Nate save himself or the Goth girl from Seattle who tried to rescue him? Between being chased by criminals, shot at, and almost drowned, their options aren't looking good.

Praise for Runaway Storm:
A rite of passage story that starts out as a rebellious solo kayaking adventure but turns perilous as 15-year-old Nate faces fellow runaways, a shipwreck and drug smugglers. An exciting survival tale that leaves you wanting more.
--Mary-Pat Gonzalez, M.L.S., Senior Librarian--Children's, Huntington Beach Central Park Library

Runaway Storm is an edge-of-your-seat page turner. Nothing goes the way Nate planned when his kayak trip turns deadly and he's forced to take more risks than he's ever faced in his life. D. E. Knobbe fits well into the ranks of other great adventure writers. Young readers won't be able to put this book down.
--Bestselling author team Enderle and Gordon

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8–10—Feeling abandoned by his divorcing parents, 15-year-old Nate decides to run away on a kayaking trip to the Canadian Gulf Islands. He deals with issues of food and shelter, and meets actual runaways on an island and helps them out. Then, a raging storm strands him on a small island where he runs into an angry Goth girl who ends up helping him. When drug smugglers show up, things just get worse. The story starts out slowly as it goes into much detail about planning and supplies. It picks up when the other runaways appear, but readers don't see many sides to their characters, and the problems that Nate assists with are easily solved. The last portion of the book charges forward when multiple characters and problems are introduced. While this pace is a welcome change, things move rapidly as the teenagers go from enjoying themselves to being shot at by one-dimensional bad guys, and there's a neat resolution. Those who can plow through the beginning will enjoy the action when they finally get to it, but most kids will have lost interest by this point.—Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

D. E. Knobbe lives in Huntington Beach, California, where she is working on her next novel, the second book in the Runaway series.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 223 pages
• Publisher: Emerald Book Company (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934572357
• ISBN-13: 978-1934572351
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #684,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative and highly likable plot, February 25, 2010

By 

Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews "FLAMINGNET COM" (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Storm (Hardcover)

Nathan is a runaway even though life isn't too terrible

for him. He has parents

who care, but when their separation drives Nathan's heart

apart, he decides to

steal his father's kayak to fulfill his life dream. He

kayaks day and night, battling

rough storms and violent drug smugglers; meeting runaway

friends along the

way. Danger lurks in every corner in the uncharted string

of islands off of San

Juan, and the need for food, water, and safety is vital at

this desperate point in

Nathan's life. Can he save himself and the Goth girl who

saved his life? Or will he

die trying?

I was very enthralled with Runaway Storm by D.E.

Knobbe. It was very good,

an easy read, although it was more of a leisurely read

than an edge-of-your-

seat thriller. I would recommend this book to any

teenager who would like an

informative and highly likable plot. Runaway Storm

includes very good detail

and action scenes that portray very believable scenarios.

At the end of the book I

was gripped with suspense and worry, tensions ran high - I

loved the elaborate

detail, and was pleasantly surprised.

NOTE: This book contains large amounts of swearing and graphic

situations.

Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer

Flamingnet Book Reviews

Teen books reviewed by teen reviewers

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read for Boys, Girls, Adults, February 7, 2010

By 

Two Ships "(in the Night)" (Pacific Ocean) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Storm (Hardcover)

Exciting, interesting, fast-paced, not too difficult or stressful--okay to read before bed. Perfect for the reluctant reader as well as the voracious one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Page Turner, January 26, 2010

By 

reviewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Runaway Storm (Hardcover)

In the first book of the Runaway series, author D.E. Knobbe introduces us to an almost fifteen year-old boy named Nate. He's a troubled kid who's having problems adjusting to his parents split and the recent move to New York.

Nate decides he needs a break from his life and comes up with the prefect scheme. He's going to go kayaking by himself. He tells his mother that his dad wants him to fly to Vancouver while she is away in Paris. He forgot to mention that his dad is on a business trip.

He is quickly on his way to Vancouver with two hundred dollars in cash and his mother's credit card. When he arrives at his father's place, he finds his birthday present - a brand new, yellow Kayak. Two of his friends, Mike and Eric, helps Nate buy supplies and help him get to Galiano Island.

Nate launches his Kayak into the waters unaware of the adventures and dangers ahead of him. From drug dealers, to runaways and even a goth girl, this is a journey Nate will never forget.

"Runaway Storm" is an exciting coming to age story. Male readers will easily connect with Nate and relate to some of the problems he faces. I will warn you that there is some mild language in this book. Overall, I enjoyed reading "Runaway Strom" and will look forward to the second installment in the series.