“Stormy Saturday” is the first book in Blyth’s Sammie Street Adventures series. Written for children up to 12 years old, it follows 8 year old Brayden and his younger sister Brooklynn as they use their imagination to turn a sad and rainy day into a magical adventure. At first, Brayden wants to play by himself; but, when his little sister eagerly joins in, it isn’t long before Brayden gives in to the joy of playing with her. The two turn a pile of clothes into a mountain and find other creative ways to build new and exciting worlds like the Flying Forest, Whispering Waterfalls and the Jolly Jungle. Before long, their mother enlists their help in finding her lost ring, bring the kids’ game to a whole new level. Illustrated by Kathy Kerber, the book is filled with fun images of the children on their adventure and all of the imaginary friends they meet along the way.
This is a great book for your children about the importance of creativity. Kids, of course, are inventive by nature, but it can be easy to forget to reinforce this quality. “Stormy Saturday” reminds our young ones that, when we trust our imagination, we’ll never be board — a great message that might offer Mom or Dad some much needed time for themselves, no less. A secondary theme in the book is the importance of connecting with your siblings. At various points in the book, Brayden is reluctant to play with his sister or to follow her lead; but, when he lets go, he finds himself having the time of his life. It’s a great way to encourage your kids to trust each other, play with each other, and work together. Dominated by bright blue hues Kerber’s illustrations do a great job depicting the joy of these kinds of experiences.
Both the storyline of “Stormy Saturday” and its writing are easy to follow along. Depending on their age, your kids may be able to read the book all on their own. Either way, the book is engaging enough to entertain children of many ages. It is so genuinely funny that even parents may get a laugh out of it while reading it to their younger children; the earliest example of this can be found early in the book in a note from the author, which asks forgiveness for the messy state of the children’s bedrooms from parents and encourages kids to clean their own rooms so that their parents will allow them to continue reading Sammie Street Adventures books. Blythe’s background in young adult literature clearly equips her with a voice that can ring out across multiple generations and appeal to people of all ages.
“Stormy Saturday” is a fun and heart warming story for your kids to enjoy; they might even learn a thing or two about the power of creative play!
