Shouting at the Rain

by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Scott County library hardcover 269 pages

Published 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

 

I read this a few weeks ago, but remember being slightly disappointed. Perhaps because I *so* love Hunt's first two books, my expectations were too high for this third effort. 

 

Here's the summary from Amazon: "Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a "regular family." Delsie observes other changes in the air, too--the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her. Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm."

 

I grabbed shots of some text to blog about. Here's from page 63:

 

 I love her grandma's wisdom. "Don't let yourself go to the sad place for too long." I just love her words to Delsie at this time - respecting her feelings, but encouraging her to put her "arm around happiness and invite it inside." Sweet message!

Yes, the girls in the story were most definitely making this hard for Delsie. Mean girls are so challenging!

Page 64 was too blurry of a photo to include here, but the part I wanted was this:

"Well," Grammy says, "you either succeed or you learn. If it doesn't work out, you can handle it. You'll be sad, but you can handle it. That Brandy Foster won't break my girl."

I manage a smile, but all I can think about is Tressa. It's weird - I don't even like her, but I still wish she liked me.

Although Grammy is more tuned in to her game shows than her conversation with Delsie, she does build her up and help her cope with the situation. Delsie's awareness that she wants mean girl Tressa to like her even in her own dislike is also interesting . . . don't we all want to be liked?

Page 149:

There are so many things I like about this! The challenge of her asking, "If I'm not hurt, what does that mean?" The sadness of "I know that watching Brandy walk away will stick with me for a long time." I love the observation that "some friends are just glitter, and some friends are glue." Hunt really is a wonderful writer.

In the Author's Note, she did such a cool thing with anagrams! Love this! I haven't yet taken the time to figure them all out, but now they're here for me to return to when I can.

  I really like her writing. This story just didn't blow me away like Murphys and Fish . . . still, she has such an excellent message. I loved the growing friendship between Delsie and Ronan. I like how even the crabby Olive had a sweet moment in the book. Hunt is a clever and sensitive author. I'd still like to own copies of all her books.  

<Above published 6.28.2021. Below added 8.18.2023.>

Like I posted on another book, I listened to this on Libby while at work. The reader was Lisa Cordileone. It was enjoyable. I think my favorite parts were the surprise for Olive and Ronan and his dad buying the "relish" house (or mustard? ketchup? brown bun?). Fun.