Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-9848-1531-6 $17.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-9848-1532-3 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-7
Life is harder for thirteen-year-old Frankie (short for Frances) than it is for her twin, Tess; Frankie is neurodiverse, with ADHD and sensory and self-regulation issues, and she really dislikes medication so she’s struggling hard to stay on an even keel. Then her longtime best friend, Colette, is reported missing, and Frankie, though still angry from what she saw as Colette’s recent betrayal, tries to find her friend. Working with Tess, Frankie figures out that Colette was completing a series of dares that the girls had planned, one of which could be very dangerous indeed. Frankie’s narration is solid and plausible, remaining credibly and creditably unyielding as she deals with the world in her own way rather than mapping onto neurotypical emotions. Her work on the mystery is believable, and there’s no sentimentality in the sad resolution, but there’s hope in Frankie’s move toward greater understanding of her ties to Colette, Tess, and potential friends. It’s a brisk yet moving story that will satisfy lovers of friendship tales and hard-won growth.
