There are some haunting images in this tall tale about a boy facing down the terror of the Dust Bowl. But it didn't feel like a satsifying story to me. I liked the connections to the Wizard of Oz, tall tales, and the detail about the jackrabbits--but I never really got into it. Maybe I read it too fast (I tend to do that with graphic novels). Or maybe first-time author Matt Phelan overused familiar tropes: the disappointed father, the sickly but brave sister, the kindly storekeeper who protects our hero from one-dimensional bullies. The art was great, but a story like this could have had a lot more depth. I felt like it ended before it really began. ( )

I loved this graphic novel. With very few words it swept me completely into Jack's world in the middle of the dust bowl where he is bullied by other kids and rejected by his dad. One of his sisters is sick with the dust pneumonia, and people are saying that he has the dust dementia just because he is different from the other boys. The artwork is amazing and the story is a great blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and American folklore. ( )

Kansas, 1937. It has not rained for 4 years, and massive dust storms are killing people, choking them to death slowly by “dust pneumonia.” Jack’s family plans to leave the farm they’ve always loved and Jack feels useless, unable to help – until he finds a mysterious, dark, dripping figure in an abandoned barn. Is Jack a victim of “dust dementia?” Or is the figure real – and what can Jack do? Amazing drawings! Phelan gives us a vivid glimpse of life during the Dust Bowl. Easy read, 201 pp. ( )

A beautiful, touching and sad story about the dust bowl and how it really beat down everyone involved, even the kids.

The point about Jack growing up "useless" since he couldn't help on the farm is poignant and not really something you'd think about when thinking of the tragedy of the Dust Bowl - I also didn't know about the rabbit drives, and the series of red panels and silent men were incredibly effective. ( )

Phelan has illustrated other books, including a Newbery Medal winner. This is his first attempt at a graphic novel. Inspired by the “stark photography of Dorothea Lange and Arthur Rothstein” he decided to focus on the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

It’s a little bit of historical fiction, mixed with fantasy. Jack Clark is a young boy on a Kansas farm, bullied at school and not considered bit enough to really help by his father. He feels dejected and useless. In addition, the family is worried about his sister, Dorothy, who has a lingering cough and escapes reading various Oz books by Frank L Baum. When a neighboring farm is abandoned, he begins to notice odd occurrences in the shut-up barn.

There are some very spooky goings on in this book, with a fantastical Storm King that the young Jack must defeat in order to get the rains to come again.

The illustrations are marvelously detailed, and yet stark enough to give a feel for the desolation and destruction of the 1930s dust storms. They also lend to the feeling of uselessness and despair that Jack experiences.

The fight with the Storm King is terrifying enough, but the scene that really disturbed me (more hinted at than graphically depicted) is one where the men get together to kill the jackrabbits that are eating what little the farmers are able to grow. I know this is a realistic scene, as I’ve read other books that depicted this. But those books were for adults, and I find it really disturbing in a children’s book. At least Phelan shows that everyone feels remorse over their actions … even the mean bullies who participate seem to realize that they ‘ve been unnecessarily cruel, and shed a tear or two. ( )

Advance copy ( )

I feel so woefully uncool because I don't automatically love graphic novels. I find them lacking in depth, and I can't always tell what's going on. But I'm also willing to admit the problem might be with me and not with them.

Liked the story. Like the artwork. Had heard all the hype. Left me feeling a bit dissatisfied. ( )

Here's another book which caught my eye for its illustrations, initially the cover and then its internal monochrome sketches (blue or sepia palette, full spectrum used rarely and then to emphasize emotion). What appears at first to be an historical picturebook on Dust Bowl-era small town living contains a lot more.

It may be the Storm King is Phelan's invention. This aspect of the book proved both unexpected and one of its most pleasing parts, which otherwise is quite historical and realistic. Both Weird and mythical in presentation, I couldn't trace the Storm King to any indigenous American myth (Raven King, Thunderbird, Lightning Bird, Rain Bird) or tall tale. Phelan in an Author's Note:

I began to imagine what the experience of living in the Dust Bowl must have been like through the eyes of a kid. Without the complicated explanation of the history of over-planting, soil erosion, and other factors, a young boy or girl would only know a world that could suddenly vanish in a moving mountain of dark dust. The rain had gone away. But where?

Phelan's spare drawings and layout (lots of white space) disguise just how complex a story is told. Part of the trick is Phelan focuses on the experience of one family, allowing their individual and collective experience of events to showcase myriad aspects of the Dust Bowl milieu, as well as interpersonal dynamics. In the end, The Storm In The Barn weaves together many tropes and facets of U.S. culture, from national and regional history, to tall tales, to family and peer dynamics recognisable to most modern citizens. It's remarkably dense for such a lean manuscript. ( )

Then there was The Storm in the Barn which I can only categorize as a Debbie Downer type of book. I'm not sure that this falls under any one genre. It's most certainly historical fiction as it depicts a little boy, his family, and his community as they struggle during the time of the Dust Bowl in Kansas circa 1937. However, it also contains fantasy elements of which I can't really go into without spoiling the plot... It's certainly rooted in reality because Phelan does not shy away from the harsh conditions that these characters face (don't even get me started on the rabbits). He covers bullying from both peers and parents. The protagonist is forced to watch a beloved sister struggle with a possibly fatal illness. The entire plot is fraught with tension and a dark cloud seems to hover over every page. What I'm trying to say is that if you're looking for a light read to send your tots to sleep at night then you should probably keep looking. BUT if you wanted to teach your kids about an era of history that's not usually dwelt upon in the classroom then this might indeed be the right selection for you. ( )

A young Jack Clark has to deal with the hardships created by the Dust Bowl and the stress it puts on his family and community. He feels like he has let his father down and battles bullying by classmates. He finds solace in his relationship with Ernie and his sisters. His curiosity continues to take him to the Talbot's barn. Eventually, this curiosity brings him face to face with the solution to ending the drought plaguing his community. He must confront the King of the Storms and take back the rain. ( )

I was absolutely absorbed by this book and enthralled with the Ben's haunting tale. The plight of the mid-west farmers trapped in the 30's dustbowl comes to life in this gripping story. ( )

The Storm in the Barn is set in Depression-era Kansas, where Jack Clark lives on a farm beset by drought and persistent crop failure. Jack's father often takes out his frustration and rage on his family, bullying Jack to the point of despair. In addition to language arts, Phelan's book would be an outstanding supplement to a social studies lesson for students in grades 5-7 that covers modern United States history. Phelan illustrates brilliantly the human cost of a catastrophe such as the Dust Bowl in a way that students would enjoy learning.

The sparse illustrations lend themselves perfectly to the Dust Bowl theme of this graphic novel. Jack has to deal with bullying, his sister's illness, his father's disappointment, and the secret he finds in the barn. A very good book with lots of emotions coming through the illustrations. A picture really is worth a thousand words! ( )

Emotional story about the dust bowl with very few words. Jack is 11 and is picked on at school, not appreciated by his father, and is worried about his sister who has dust pneumonia. He wants to help but can't figure out how. He keeps seeing strange things, especially related to the Talbot's barn and is worried he has "dust dementia," an illness he heard the doctor mention. He is too curious and determined though, and eventually risks everything just in case it might help bring rain.

In this book, a family is in a drought. Dust storms come through and the boy, Jack had to take cover in their barn. He sees some water and tires to figure out where it came from. After a long time, he did and rain came to the family. This book would be great to go with a plant lesson and explain how plants need water to grow. ( )

This book is about family that has been in a drought from many years. There were dust storms often and the young boy would have to take shelter in a barn. He noticed a puddle of water in the barn. This grew his interest to figure out where it was coming from. After many trials he did and rain finally came to the family. ( )

This book would be wonderful to read during a tall tale unit. It is such an unconventional style of a tall tale that the students would really love it.

This book could be used with younger elementary school grade levels such as first and second grade. With this book, you could discuss the dust bowl with the students and make connections between it and what happened in the story. You can also discuss with your students the rain cycle and how rain is created. You can also discuss how important rain is to crops and how it helps plants and trees grow, and discuss what these plants and tress to for our community and talk about how important they are.

Jack is just 11 years old during the Dust Bowl, and isn't sure if what he is seeing is really true. Has he contracted "dust dementia", or is there another explanation for the shadows in the abandoned barn next door? And what about his father, who doesn't need his help or even seem to want him around? And his little sisters who are so sick from all the dust? Matt Phelan based his artwork on real photos of the time, creating a graphic novel that is at once stunning, sinister, and captivating. Join Jack as he tries to find his way home.

This graphic novel about the Dust Bowl has its greatest impact in the illustrations of the weary residents' 1,000-yard stares and the silence of the dusty prairie. At 11, Jack is as beaten down by the drought as the others but he still yearns to be of use to his family, more of a man. His almost-wordless showdown with the King of Storms evokes the sensation of a coming storm, tense and expectant. ( )

I'm a sucker for graphic novels in almost any form, but this one didn't quite work with me. The dust bowl setting is solid and the initial sequences in the book are great, but I didn't enjoy the fable component. If I were teaching fables with students then this would be a slam dunk, but alas I am not. The art is good but I found times when I wasn't really able to read what the characters were thinking without the word bubbles. I know a lot of work went into this book and I dislike knocking that time and effort but I can't see myself giving this three stars. ( )

I loved the muted tones of the artwork and how they fit the story. Sometimes the story felt a little bit slow though. I like the fairy tale feel. ( )

I loved the muted tones of the artwork and how they fit the story. Sometimes the story felt a little bit slow though. I like the fairy tale feel. ( )

I loved the muted tones of the artwork and how they fit the story. Sometimes the story felt a little bit slow though. I like the fairy tale feel. ( )

I loved the muted tones of the artwork and how they fit the story. Sometimes the story felt a little bit slow though. I like the fairy tale feel. ( )