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Can't love a Newfie and not love the book. ( )

Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow is a touching historical fiction book about a boy, a dog, and a family who will capture your heart. Tom is a character that I could really connect with, and I feel as if I know him. I felt sad for him that he was an orphan, and I worried about what would become of both he and Thunder. This is an excellent book for people of all ages, and I think kids in fourth through eighth grade will especially relate to Tom and Thunder. The book gave me a peek at what life was like for people in the fishing and farming industries during the 1920s. We get to see a typical family in Newfoundland struggling to make ends meet and working towards their dreams. I found myself hoping that good things would come their way and was impressed with their perseverance. I think Tom would be a wonderful friend because he is kind and hard working. I like that he doesn’t back down to people trying to bully him. If you have not read this book yet, I recommend it. You will enjoy seeing how important our relationship with animals is, and you will see how courage can make a difference! ( )

I found it interesting to contrast this with some of the horse books I've read lately. The horse books seem to focus on the growth of the relationship between the horse and the child. This did not do that at all. It was the story of an orphan boy trying to become part of a family. He rescues a dog who also becomes a member of the clan. The dog is a hero and a source of solace for the insecure boy. The relationships that are explored are those of the family and the community. A very interesting look at rural Newfoundland. I found the dialog a little forced at times. Maybe because I am unfamiliar with the dialect, but it just didn't feel natural to me and brought me out of the story at times. ( )

Tom is a young, teenage boy whose parents died a long time ago. He spent most of his life growing up in an orphanage. He is very excited when he finally gets adopted by a nice couple. He finally has everything he ever wanted except a dog. Then one day while he is out fishing he sees a dog, drowning. Tom saves him. He becomes attached to the dog. Soon, Tom gets the news that the dog's owner is coming to get his dog back. To make things worse the couple that adopted him is now having a child and Tom is worried that they won't want him anymore.
I can connect to this story because I have lots of animals that I'm attached to and if anything happened to them; I'd be very upset.
I gave this five stars because it is a very well written book. It would probablly be enjoyed more by a middle school student, though. ( )