Alfie has noticed a few things since his family moved to Folding Ford. There’s nothing to do in the countryside. He and his sister are the only kids in the whole village who aren’t white. But the most interesting one is that the weather is BONKERS. One frost-covered branch on one tree in the middle of June? A tiny whirlwind in a bucket in the garden? Only in Folding Ford.
Armed with his bike, a notepad and his new best mate Sam, Alfie is going to investigate. His best clue is strange scientist Nathaniel Clemm… the only thing in town weirder than the weather. When Alfie ‘investigates’ Mr Clemm’s garden, only slightly illegally, he finds a strange box that freezes his trainers and makes his teeth tingle. And when he opens it, only slightly deliberately, something gets out. Something fast, fizzing and sparking with electricity and very, very much alive. But the creature from the box brings trouble of its own, and as barometers and tempers go haywire in Folding Ford, Alfie finds himself at the centre of a perfect storm.
Skellig meets Stranger Things in this funny, heartfelt adventure story, perfect for fans of Ross Welford, Christopher Edge, and Frank Cottrell Boyce.
The Lightning Catcher is one of those books that will make you fall in love with reading again. If you have a kid who just can’t find the right book to read, this is the one. The book itself has a beautiful cover with striking neon green text and will stand out on any bookshelf.
A big takeaway from this book was how well diversity was portrayed. Not only does it explore feeling like an outsider, but it makes it makes this feeling easy to understand for kids reading this. Diversity is an important topic, so it’s great to see authors like Clare Weze making it so integral to their stories.
The Lightning Catcher is a heart-warming, rip-roaring adventure that brings life (and trouble) to the small town of Folding Ford. With a fresh story and original characters, it’s the perfect gift for any kid struggling to find a good book. For ages 8+.
Leave a Reply