Review: The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens

The Disaster Days 

By Rebecca Behrens 

October 1, 2019 

Sourcebooks Young Readers 

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Hannah Steele loves living on Pelling, a tiny island near Seattle. It's a little disconnected from the outside world, but she's always felt completely safe there. 

Which is why when she's asked one day to babysit after school, she thinks it's no big deal. Zoe and Oscar are her next-door neighbors, and Hannah just took a babysitting class that she's pretty sure makes her an expert. She isn't even worried that she left her inhaler at home. 

Then the shaking begins. 

The terrifying earthquake only lasts four minutes but it changes everything, damaging the house, knocking out the power, and making cell service nonexistent. Even worse, the ferry and the bridge connecting the kids to help―and their parents―are both blocked. Which means they're stranded and alone... With Hannah in charge, as things go from bad to dangerous. 

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Thirteen-year-old, Hannah, is asked to babysit her two young neighbors, Zoe and Oscar. It’s only Hannah’s second time ever babysitting, but she just finished a babysitting course and nothing bad ever really happens in her quiet little neighborhood, tucked away on tiny Pelling Island. But then disaster strikes when a big earthquake hits, shutting down the ferry and bridge, meaning Hannah and her two charges are cut off from their parents and help. Injuries, a dangerously wrecked house, and a depleting food supply quickly make things even worse and scarier. How will Hannah and the kids survive? 

Rebecca Behrens’ The Disaster Days is a compelling and empowering middle-grade disaster story that will have readers on the edge of their seats and breathless! 

With its utterly gripping story, and Behrens mastery of suspense, emotion, and earthquake disaster knowledge, The Disaster Days is an unputdownable page-turner. Behrens has clearly done her earthquake research, as every aspect of Hannah’s story feels authentic and real. Every heart-wrenching and lump-in-your-throat moment of fear, panic, and doubt is powerfully felt, and every heartwarming moment of triumph, obstacles overcome, and teamwork and sweetness between the characters will be relished and celebrated by readers. 

Readers will easily connect with the three engaging, excellently developed young characters. Through all their likable qualities and flaws, victories and mistakes, Hannah, Zoe, and Oscar feel incredibly real...and by the end of the book, they’ll feel like long lost friends to readers.  

The Disaster Days will take young readers on an unforgettable, emotionally charged journey that will encourage, inspire, and educate. A suspenseful, spectacularly crafted survival story! 

MY RATING 

5/5 Cupcakes

Rebecca Behrens is the author of three critically acclaimed middle-grade novels that explore famous historical figures and fascinating places: WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE (2014), SUMMER OF LOST AND FOUND (2016), and the award-winning THE LAST GRAND ADVENTURE (2018). Her latest release, THE DISASTER DAYS, is a thrillingly realistic survival story and a Junior Library Guild selection. Rebecca grew up in Wisconsin, studied in Chicago, and now lives with her husband in New York City. You can visit her online to learn more about her books at www.rebeccabehrens.com. 

(5th MMGM) Summer of Lost and Found by Rebecca Behrens (review, top ten, giveaway)

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Summer of Lost and Found

by Rebecca Behrens

May 24, 2016

Aladdin

A sweeping middle grade novel about a city girl forced to spend her summer in North Carolina, where she becomes involved in a centuries-old mystery, turning her once boring vacation into an adventure she never could have imagined.

Nell Dare expected to spend her summer vacation hanging out with her friends in New York City. That is, until her botanist mom dragged her all the way to Roanoke Island for a research trip. To make matters worse, her father suddenly and mysteriously leaves town, leaving no explanation or clues as to where he went—or why.

While Nell misses the city—and her dad—a ton, it doesn’t take long for her to become enthralled with the mysteries of Roanoke and its lost colony. And when Nell meets Ambrose—an equally curious historical reenactor—they start exploring for clues as to what really happened to the lost colonists. As Nell and Ambrose’s discoveries of tantalizing evidence mount, mysterious things begin to happen—like artifacts disappearing. And someone—or something—is keeping watch over their quest for answers.

It looks like Nell will get the adventurous summer she was hoping for, and she will discover secrets not only about Roanoke, but about herself.

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Early Praise for Summer of Lost and Found

“I was edge-of-my-seat interested while reading Summer of Lost and Found. Rebecca Behrens has the ability to make the past irresistible and weave it into a present-day story that will satisfy fans of both mystery and adventure.” —Caroline Starr Rose, author of  Blue Birds

“A sweet, sparkling setting, a historical riddle, and a quirky cast make this little gem of a mystery a pure pleasure to read.” —Jodi Lynn Anderson, author of  My Diary at the Edge of the World

“The mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke becomes an engaging backdrop for a preteen experiencing her own losses. . . . This blend of history with mystery and fantasy with realism is a good find indeed.”—Kirkus

“Behrens’s deft writing gives the book substance. . . . This intriguing mix of historical and realistic fiction with a dash of the paranormal makes this well-written novel appealing to a wide range of middle grade readers.”—School Library Journal

New Yorker, Nell Dare, is ready for a summer in the city with her BFF, but her parents squash that summer dream. Her dad has left suddenly and without explanation and her mom decides Nell will join her on her botany trip in NC. Once on Roanoke Island, Nell becomes enthralled with the mystery and history surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke. When she meets a young historical reenactor, Ambrose, the two set out to discover just what happened to the Lost Colony...but is someone or something out to stop them?!

Rebecca Behrens’ Summer of Lost and Found is a heartfelt and captivating tale, full of thrilling mystery, exciting discoveries, and clever humor. With a charming and fresh-as-summer voice, Summer of Lost and Found is enjoyable from start to finish. Behrens does a superb job of describing and laying out both the physical and historical aspects of Roanoke Island for readers. And the mysteries, twists, turns, and revelations are plentiful! Like Nell, young readers will be absolutely fascinated by the mystery surrounding the Lost Colony, and will have a blast searching for clues and learning all about the wondrous history of the island.

Smart, capable, and witty Nell is a delight! I love her curiosity and courage. Ambrose, with his reenactor clothing and speech, is such an endearing, quirky fellow. I really enjoyed their banter and interaction.

Behrens takes the sweet pair, and readers, on an unforgettable adventure and search for the truth, with many unexpected discoveries and revelations, that’s bursting with heart and tenderness.

My final thoughts: With its engaging characters, irresistible mystery, and oceans full of charm, Summer of Lost and Found is the perfect summer read!

Top MG Books about Real People and Real Places

by Rebecca Behrens

It’s no secret that I love middle-grade historical fiction—seeing a different time or place in the world through a young protagonist’s eyes might be my favorite way to learn about history. Good thing there are so many excellent MG books about real people, places, and periods to read! Here are ten top recommendations:

Catherine Called Birdy: This was one of my favorite books as a young reader. I loved the spirited and smart heroine, Catherine, and through her diary, 1290s England became a real place to me.

Blue Birds: This verse novel by Caroline Starr Rose is beautiful and rich. It tells the poignant story of an unlikely friendship between a Roanoke girl, Kimi, and an English girl, Alis, on 1587 Roanoke Island.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond: I think I read this dozens of times as a kid! I loved the blend of history, suspense, and romance. The story of Kit’s journey from Barbados to 1687 Connecticut, and her struggle to find her place in her new Puritan community. It’s probably time for me to reread this one.

Makoons: The fifth book in The Birchbark House series tells about an Ojibwe family’s move to the Great Plains. I just read—and loved—an advance copy. To start at the beginning, pick up The Birchbark House, which tells about the daily life and challenges of an Ojibwe family in 1847 on Madeline Island in Lake Superior.

Al Capone Does My Shirts: Full disclosure—this one is still on my TBR pile. But I am dying to read about the kids who lived among convicts on Alcatraz in the 1930s. What a fascinating setting!

Number the Stars: This is a classic, award-winning story about friendship and bravery in 1937 Denmark. Another favorite from my own days as a middle-grader, and I still find it as powerful today.

Journey to Topaz: After the bombing at Pearl Harbor, Yuki and her family are forced from their Berkeley, California, home to Topaz, an internment camp in the desert. Reading Yoshiko Uchida’s book as a kid was the first I learned about the discrimination and internment that Japanese Americans suffered during World War II. This is a great story, and a powerful introduction to that terrible part of US history.

Cold War on Maplewood Street: The Cold War was a real—and scary—place in American history. Gayle Rosengren does an excellent job of portraying what it was like to be a Chicago kid during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

One Crazy Summer: This humorous MG novel tells about the crazy summer Delphine and her sisters have when they travel from New York to Oakland, CA, to reunite with their activist mother. It’s a fantastic story with memorable characters—and it’s full of ’60s history.

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere: Another title from my TBR, and I can’t wait to read this story about how one family survives Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans.

Bonus item: The I Survived series has books on all kinds of famous and fascinating events, from Pompeii to the Great Chicago Fire to the Hindenburg disaster. If you like your historical fiction to be in the form of a thriller, these are the titles for you.

(If MG nonfiction is your thing: check out the Who Was? series.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Behrens grew up in Wisconsin, studied in Chicago, and now lives with her husband in New York City, where she works as a textbook editor. Rebecca loves writing and reading about girls full of moxie and places full of history. She is the author of the middle-grade novel When Audrey Met Alice, which BookPage called “a terrific work of blended realistic and historical fiction.” Visit her online at www.rebeccabehrens.com.

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(MMGM) Rebecca Behrens, author of When Audrey Met Alice {Review, Interview, Giveaway}

Be sure to check out the full schedule of this year’s 3rd Annual March MG Madness and enter to win a box of 6 books!

I'm so thrilled to have the awesome Rebecca Behrens stopping by the March MG Madness today! Check out my Review of her super fun book, our Interview, and enter to win a copy...

When Audrey Met Alice

by Rebecca Behrens

2/4/14

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

First daughter Audrey Rhodes re-creates Alice Roosevelt's infamous antics in this fun, smart middle-grade debut

First daughter Audrey Rhodes can't wait for the party she has planned for Friday night. The decorations are all set and the pizza is on its way. But the Secret Service must be out to ruin her life, because they cancel at the last minute-citing security breach and squashing Audrey's chances for making any new friends. What good is being "safe and secure" if you can't have any fun?

Audrey is ready to give up and become a White House hermit, until she discovers Alice Roosevelt's hidden diary. The former first daughter gives Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun...and more problems than she can handle.

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / Indiebound

Rebecca Behrens’ When Audrey Met Alice is a super cute, super smart, super delightful middle-grade read...yep, it’s super super super! I had SO much fun reading this book and was so sad to see it end.

First Daughter, Audrey Rhodes, did not ask for her mom to be President or to be stuck living in the White House with no privacy, and no fun. With Secret Service tailing her every move and paparazzi ready to reveal her every secret and antic, Audrey isn’t exactly popular at her school, but when she finds the hundred year old hidden diary of former First Daughter, Alice Roosevelt, Audrey finds a kindred spirit. Inspired by Alice’s own clever antics and ways of dealing with being the first First Daughter celebrity, Audrey decides to have her own fun. But her fun comes with trouble and more problems than she might be able to handle.

Rebecca Behrens has expertly crafted a sweet, funny story full of relatable tween woes, hilarious shenanigans, fascinating glimpses into the past, and a whole lot of heart. There’s so much to love about this entertaining story, from the wildly amusing premise to the two spunky, endearingly charming First Daughters.

Told through both the eyes of Audrey, in the present, and Alice, in the past, we get a look at two vastly different time periods, yet two girls who are very similar. Not many kids get to experience being a First Kid, but Audrey’s world feels surprisingly relatable. Her tween drama, longings, frustrations, flirtations with romance, and secrets are all things most young people begrudgingly go through, and Behrens explores these things with so much addicting humor, honesty, and genuineness. Even Alice’s experiences as the First Daughter in the early 1900’s feel timelessly relatable. Behrens vividly and smartly depicts a very modern White House and a turn of the 20th century White House, creating almost two different, yet fascinating settings.

I adored feisty, plucky Audrey! She’s such a genuine, real character and felt like a long lost friend. Audrey has that pitch-perfect middle-grade voice, that’s as endearing as it is amusing and easy to relate to. And Alice? I LOVED Behrens’ version of this famous First Daughter! While Alice’s diary and characterization were fictionalized, Behrens captures the fun, wild-child, vibrant essence that Alice Roosevelt was known for. Alice’s diary entries and antics cracked me up! And I learned some awesome things about this colorful First Daughter too.

My Final Thoughts: There’s so much to love about When Audrey Met Alice: its fun premise, unforgettable heroines, and stellar storytelling. Readers, especially young readers, will love the shenanigans of both Audrey and Alice and appreciate how relatable Audrey’s story is. A definite must read!

MY RATING

What three words best describe When Audrey Met Alice?

History, hijinks, and hilarity

Can you give us your best one sentence pitch to convince readers, especially reluctant readers, to give When Audrey Met Alice a try?

When thirteen-year-old First Daughter Audrey finds Alice Roosevelt’s long-lost diary, reading about Alice’s outrageous antics gives Audrey tons of ideas of having fun—and gets her into more trouble than she can handle.

Grab a copy of When Audrey Met Alice and answer the following:

favorite chapter? I love Chapter 5, right after Audrey has first “met” Alice and she takes a few first steps toward “eating up the world.”

favorite page? Page 183. Two words: unchaperoned joyride!

flip to a random page and give us a 1-2 sentence teaser? Page 74: Audrey’s not looking forward to a State dinner, until she decides to stray from her approved wardrobe choices . . .

What inspired When Audrey Met Alice? How did the story come to be?

When President Obama was elected in 2008, I thought a lot about how the lives of his daughters would change as they headed to Washington. I wondered if being a First Daughter, as exciting as that is, might also be lonely. The idea of a First Daughter struggling with growing up in the White House fishbowl stuck with me. At the same time, I’ve always been very interested Alice Roosevelt’s wild life at the turn of the twentieth century. I wanted to write about a First Daughter, but I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to write about Alice-like one or a contemporary girl. Finally, it hit me: I could combine Alice’s story with that of a contemporary First Daughter, via a long-lost diary.

There are some memorable characters in When Audrey Met Alice, do you have a favorite? What do you love about him/her? Did any of your characters end up surprising even you with the way they turned out?

I really love some of the supporting characters, like the uptight Denise Colbert and the comforting Chef Debra. Those two wound up being foils for each other—one works hard to control Audrey’s antics, and the other encourages her to find herself (although while still following the rules).  I didn’t set out to make Denise an almost-antagonist, so it surprised me, while writing, that she wound up standing in Audrey’s way quite a bit.

If you lived in the White House, what kind of antics and shenanigans would you get up to?

I probably wouldn’t roller skate in the East Room like Amy Carter used to, only because I am not the most coordinated person and I’d be afraid of breaking something. I would definitely host a lot of movie screenings, swim laps in the pool, and sweeten my tea with honey from the White House Beehive. I’d also sneak cookies from the locked “cookie jar,” a rolling tray filled with goodies from the pasty chefs. Assuming I could convince someone to tell me where the key is hidden.

As a middle-grade author, why do you think middle-grade is so important? What do you love about writing and reading middle-grade?

The farther I get from being a tween myself, the more I realize that the way I observed the world as a middle-grader—with wonder, optimism, and curiosity—is the way I’d like to look at it now. The middle-grade years are the age of discovery, and that leads to so much story richness. I truly love writing middle-grade fiction because it is so much fun, to write and to read. Middle-grade readers are eager to go on a journey with you—and that leads to so much freedom and creativity in the writing process.

What is your all time favorite middle-grade book, middle-grade hero, and middle-grade heroine?

This is such a tough question! For book, it’s probably WALK TWO MOONS; for hero, it’s Peter Hatcher from Judy Blume’s Fudge books; and for heroine, it’s Turtle Wexler from THE WESTING GAME. She will always be my favorite.

Fill in the blanks:

I’m really awesome at Baking pies! In general, I am not the world’s greatest cook, but I do make a mean from-scratch piecrust.

I’m really embarrassed to admit that I still have (and use) a ten-year-old click-wheel iPod. People look at it like I’m rocking a Walkman.

The last great book I read was  Esperanza Rising is a wonderful historical MG.

If you were to create and bake a cupcake inspired by When Audrey Met Alice, what would it look and taste like, and what would you call it?

I would make an Emily Spinach cake, and it would be a chocolate cupcake with mint-green icing—and a sugar or marzipan green garter snake would top it off. Yum!

Thanks so much for stopping by Rebecca! That cupcake sounds super yummy :)

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Growing up in Wisconsin, Rebecca Behrens dreamed of becoming the following: a zoologist, an Olympic swimmer, or an author. One out of three isn’t bad! Today she lives in New York City, where she works as a production editor for children’s books. Some of her favorite things are: the beach, bright shoes, running, doughnuts, and laughing.

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When Audrey Met Alice!

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