"Where Only Storms Grow" by Alyssa Colman is a middle grade historical fiction story set during the Dust Bowl in 1935. This story is told from a dual POV and follows the everyday lives of middle school-aged twins Joanna and Howe in the weeks leading up to the worst storm of the dust bowl, "Black Sunday."

I loved Jo and Howe's development over the course of the story -- as individuals, as siblings, and as members of society. I also really enjoyed watching their family and small town work through too-realistic problems and found ways to function in such difficult times. With unique perspectives, this story givers readers an insight to what life might have been like for children in rural areas during the dust bowl.

I might not be teaching middle school ELA anymore, but I will highly recommend this to my current and former students. This book is ideal for middle & high school readers who love the outdoors and are fans of books like the "I Survived" and "The Wilds" series, "Hatchet," and "My Side of the Mountain." Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC.

“I looked in her eyes and found determination. Her speech was halting, imperfect, and exactly what I needed to hear. We were full of dust and dreams, but something stronger too. Something that couldn’t easily be blown over.” - Howe, WHERE ONLY STORMS GROW

This historical fiction novel about a pair of twins living in Oklahoma in the spring of 1935 is engaging and fast-paced. This story uses duel narrators, twins Joanna and Howe Stanton, to give a glimpse into what it was like to grow up during the Dust Bowl. Themes of family, community and survival are all present.

I especially enjoyed the relationships among the characters in this story. Regardless of how they were connected, there is kinship and a ‘we are all in this together’ aspect that lent hope regardless of the trials and tribulations each of the characters were facing.

As a former middle school ELA teacher, I think this novel is well-researched and would be a good complement to a non-fiction piece about the Dust Bowl and/or Black Sunday.

I could feel the grit between my teeth as the dust storms blew. In this middle grade novel in two voices, twins Joanna and Howe find themselves with the full responsibility for their family's farm. Unlike other families during the dustbowl, the twins' family rides it out. The father leaves for California to find work leaving the farm in the capable hands of his wife and older son. But life and dust storms conspire against them, and it's twelve year-olds Joanna and Howe who must weather the storms. Through their eyes, we see the decisions that other families make and their consequences. And we see the effect that the responsibility has on the two children. Joanna has the opportunity to find herself. Smothered by her mother who follows the misguided directions of the country doctor, Joanna's scoliosis has made her into a near invalid and her disability is two fold. She deals with very real pain, but she also has to deal with the debilitating influence of overprotection. When her older brother falls and spends time in the hospital, Joanna uses her skills to help the nursing staff, soon becoming indispensable and a paid member of the staff. She also meets a nurse who, herself, has learned to manage her scoliosis and gives Joanna the confidence she needs to blossom. Howe is the most put-upon member of the family. He must stay home from school and do the work that his father and his brother, both, were doing when instead he wishes that he could be talking about poetry with his teacher and writing poems. But the storms are brutal, and the two youngsters, who have grown apart, must work together to save their legacy. Colman's mastery of the subjects she layers in her story is complete. Readers are transported into the challenging world of the depression and the dustbowl--a world we rarely hear about--but they are also gifted a wonderful story of growth and renewal. .Thank you to FSG for providing this arc for review.

Really loved this thoughtful and harrowing historical fiction. Joanna and Howe are identical twins who have recently drifted apart. Times are hard and getting harder. Eventually it becomes clear that the only way they can survive - literally - is by working together. Readers who enjoy frontier survival stories will love this one. It's ripe for meaty discussions about historical and scientific topics. Cli-fi lovers and history buffs alike will rush through the pages of this tension-filled story of grit and family and never giving up.

Historical fiction about the Dust Bowl from a different perspective. This book centers on a family that stayed on their farm and endured countless dust storms. Joanna and Howe are twins that have grown distant with each other. Circumstances the entire family face lead to a renewed closeness between the two. Told through Joanna's and Howe's eyes, this story gives readers an opportunity to relate to the characters and circumstances they face. The story relates how there was distrust of government, questioning of public health advice, and greed leading to environmental damage during the 1930s. Fans of historical fiction and educators wanting a different presentation of the time period - this one's for you. Thank you NetGalley for sending this my way.

A middle grade historical novel set in the 1930s Oklahoma dust bowl. It’s told through two points of view - twelve year old twins Joanna and Howe. Their family faces hardship after hardship but continue to push forward. Joanna finds peace in working at the hospital and Howe finds solace in his books. Together they help their family survive one of the worst periods in history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advance digital review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of WHERE ONLY STORMS GROW. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and appreciated a glimpse into a lesser known period of history.

As an environmentalist, the Dust Bowl is an era in American history that fascinates me to no end. While loads of sources will tell you about the millions of people who left their farms during the Dust Bowl, this novel focuses on a fictional family who stayed. In recent years, historical fiction novels have begun to grow on me, so I was all the more excited to give this one a read.

"It sounds to me like we've each been carrying the same burden separately. Maybe we should try sharing the load."
-Alyssa Colman, Where Only Storms Grow

Where Only Storms Grow is told from the perspectives of 12-year-old twins Joanna and Howe Stanton. Through circumstances both necessary and unfortunate, much of the burden to save their family's farm falls onto the young twins. But their tense relationship and individual burdens make this task all the more daunting.

I found both Joanna and Howe to be compelling protagonists. While both twins face the same issue of saving the family farm, they also have their differences. Joanna and Howe have unique struggles, values, and aspirations that make each of their stories stand out. Howe's dreams of being a writer pull at readers' hearts, and his pain at being unable to pursue his passion is something to which many can relate. His yearning and passion are so vividly portrayed that you can't help but root for him along his journey.

Howe's twin sister, Joanna Stanton, is equally endearing. Smothered by her mother's concern for her scoliosis, Joanna often feels frustrated and hopeless. But when she gets a job at a local hospital, the entire world begins to open up for her. Joanna's character growth arc is nothing short of inspiring. And I don't just mean that in the "disabled people are inspiring" way, but in the "I love stories about people who learn to see potential in the world" way. Through her work, Joanna finds meaning, and I connect with this concept on a personal level, making her story all the more meaningful.

"I wasn't in any hurry to grow up -- it seemed like I already had enough responsibilities as it was -- but the thought of helping people and seeing a little bit of the world made the future feel like something it never had before: full of possibility."
-Alyssa Colman, Where Only Storms Grow

Of course, Joanna's disability is also an excellent part of Where Only Storms Grow. Author Alyssa Colman also has scoliosis, and Joanna's symptoms are largely based on her own. We all know that I'm a massive advocate for OwnVoices stories, and this is an excellent one. It's so rare to see disabilities represented in novels (or maybe I'm just not reading the right novels), but Colman does an outstanding job of weaving Joanna's scoliosis into her character and the overarching plot. I learned a lot about scoliosis specifically and also the social/emotional aspects of living with a physical disability.

Along the way, this book teaches about a lot more in addition to scoliosis. I found myself enthralled by Colman's descriptions of the Dust Bowl storms, dust pneumonia, and how people dealt with the hardships of this man-made ecological disaster. The details that Colman provides not only bring the story to life, but also evoke eerily familiar images of climate change and pandemics that bind the story even more to the reader. I literally got chills when I read the painfully familiar line "We're living in unprecedented times."

Where Only Storms Grow's connections to the modern world help to nail in all its themes. This novel explores family dynamics, the power of hope, and community, among many other equally powerful topics. Every page includes something for readers to connect with and learn from. But it's also not all doom and gloom! There's plenty of comedic relief (I adore Ruby the indoor chicken!) and joyous moments to breathe a perfect amount of levity into a story that otherwise has the potential to be incredibly heavy.

Although I cherished this novel, I also have to mention the reason I can't give it 5 stars: the ending. For a story with such emotional power and complex characters, the ending is rather abrupt and (dare I say) unsatisfying. Maybe this is just me wanting more of such an incredible story, but I wish there had been an extra chapter or two at the end to flesh out the impact of how everything wraps up. But other than that, I have few complaints.

Overall, Where Only Storms Grow is an easily lovable and refreshingly thoughtful story. It is great for historical fiction lovers and super accessible for younger readers. This novel is easy to connect with and highly educational in so many ways. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for stories about disabled characters or life during the Dust Bowl era.

"Asking for help isn't giving up. It's refusing to give up."
-Alyssa Colman, Where Only Storms Grow

Oh, how I love Alyssa Colman's work!!

I'm in love with her Gilded Magic fantasy series, so when I saw she was writing a historical fiction novel (in one of my favorite time periods to read about, no less) I just knew I had to read it. And I'm glad I did!

"Where Only Storms Grow" follows twins Joanna and Howe Stanton, two protagonists with strong voices and lots of layers. Both of them feel distinct from one another, with their own interests and struggles. I greatly appreciate that Colman created a boy character who loves more "feminine" things like writing and poetry; I think that is a wonderful thing for boys to read about especially. I also appreciate her portrayal of Jo's scoliosis--she shows the various physical and mental/emotional facets of living with chronic pain from a medical condition, and it was done with plenty of care. I know the author drew from her own experience with scoliosis which makes me appreciate the inclusion even more, from an adult reader's perspective.

I also appreciate the author's dedication to her research and her accurate portrayal of the times Jo and Howe are living in. It was so fascinating to read about Hoovervilles, the SES, Red Cross hospitals, farm life, dust pneumonia, and precautions taken during dust storms. I think Colman presented these things in a way that was engaging enough to hold the interest of younger readers.

The story takes plenty of turns, including a few heartbreaking and distressing ones that kept me on the edge of my seat. I think the author handled these events with depth and care; in one instance she uses a poem to convey a devastating piece of news to the reader, which helps soften the blow a bit while still providing emotional impact. The ending of the story is hopeful and happy enough that young readers likely won't feel distraught by the end of the story.

All in all I loved this book (as I expected!) and would highly recommend it to any reader who enjoys heartfelt and hopeful stories, stories about siblings and family, or historical fiction of any sort.

[Disclosure: Special thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing this title for early consideration/review]. At its heart, this novel is a tale of family, courage, and overcoming immense challenges, set in the Dust Bowl-era Oklahoma Panhandle. Joanna, Lou, and Howe, three siblings, band together with their mother to keep their farm running after their father leaves for California to seek a better life out west. With the constant threat of dust storms looming, the novel possesses ample suspense, and Joanna's struggle with scoliosis cements her as a courageous character who must overcome immense obstacles to help her family and others. Perhaps what I enjoy most in this novel is the historical detail it presents; it is clear through the story that Colman did her research beforehand, and the author's note at the end humbly cites the sources utilized during the book's creation. Ultimately, the book highlights one of the lesser-talked-about eras in history, presenting the era from younger eyes and immortalizing in vivid detail one of the most harrowing manmade disasters in U.S. history. Colman has created a touching novel which will appeal to young and mature audiences alike.

This story was okay. It didn’t captivates like I hoped it would. I love a good historical fiction in children’s novels.

This was probably one of the best books I've read that focuses on the Dust Bowl. I loved that it was dual narration boy/girl. And that it covered how the Dust Bowl affected the whole life--including future dreams. It was a story of survival and hope. Very very well done. I would include this in any school studies on the time period along with Out of the Dust.

I also liked the additional look at the scoliosis aspect too.

5 Stars
*thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

Where Only Storms Grow is a beautifully written and deeply immersive novel that made me feel the weight of the Dust Bowl era. Alyssa Colman’s descriptions of the relentless dust storms and the desperation of families struggling to survive were so vivid that I could almost feel the grit in my teeth. The atmosphere was heavy with hardship, but the story never lost its undercurrent of hope.

What stood out to me the most was Joanna’s journey. I have never read a book where the main character had scoliosis, and seeing her strength and determination was incredibly moving. Her bond with the nurse who also had scoliosis was one of my favorite aspects of the story. It was refreshing to see a character with a physical disability not just overcoming challenges but finding purpose and confidence in her own way.

This book was an emotional and thought-provoking read, not just because of the historical elements but because of how relevant it feels today. The struggles of these characters serve as a reminder of how fragile our environment is and what perseverance truly looks like. Where Only Storms Grow left a lasting impression on me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction with strong, memorable characters.

This is the reason you read Middle Reader. To find stories like this that really transcend age and genre. I loved every minute of Jo and Howe's dustbowl drama. I loved the characters, I loved the heart - I'll be thinking about this one for a long time and CAN'T WAIT for my 5th grade book club to read it.

This historical novel is a phenomenal description of life during the dust bowl. Through dual timelines with twins Howe and Joanna we learn the ways people stayed ahead during this time period. The author describes in very great detail the way the dust storms happened and the things the family did to push through and persevere with the odds being so much against them. Though this is described as middle school historical fiction I think adults interested in this genre would enjoy the book too. There is much history to be learned from this time period. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"It’s been four years since rain fell on the Oklahoma panhandle and the closeness between the Stanton twins has dried up as much as the land. Howe Stanton has been practicing running away and longs for the family to quit this land of dust where only troubles grow. Despite the scoliosis that causes Joanna Stanton near-constant pain, she isn’t ready to give up like her brother. But when Daddy leaves the family behind to find work in California, saving the farm from ruin falls on Howe’s unwilling and Joanna’s uneven shoulders.

To pay the mortgage, Joanna takes a job at the local hospital and discovers purpose in helping others. Howe finds unexpected joy in books and writing poetry."

This fantastic book could be describes as the kids in the Joad family (Grapes of Wrath) remaining in OK during the dust bowl period. The characterizations were fully fleshed out, the setting described so well you could feel and smell the dirt and dust. What I especially like was Joanna's arc and how she dealt with her scoliosis. Her character reminded me of Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird). The use of two POV's (the twins) was interesting and created depth in the story.

The history that is revisited in this book is essential reading for Middle Grade and H.S students. The themes of family, community, disability awareness, and ecology are all part of this book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read such a great book!

I can’t think of many other books set during the Dust Bowl that would have this appeal for middle grade readers. It had two strong narrators, a brother and sister, and could appeal to many different readers that way.

I like their strong solutions to their problems and also the realistic portrayal of the terrors of the Dust Bowl.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I didn’t want it to end. This is the story of two twin brothers who fight against the adversities of their time. Exceptional, a beautiful and very well-written story. It will truly stay in my memory for a long time.

It is always amazing to me when authors are able to write more than one genre! What an incredible historical fiction piece. I learned so much. The characters represent the strength of the people who survived this part of history. This book would pair incredible well with Out of the Dust!

This is exactly the kind of book I was drawn to as a child. Immersive, detailed historical fiction with an endearing cast of characters; I totally would have read this along with the Dear America diaries and American Girl historicals. Told in alternating chapters by twin siblings, Howe and Joanna, this is a moving story about a family's fight to survive during the Dust Bowl.