Like a Hurricane

★“Immediately takes one’s breath away with its poetry and power…Deeply affecting. An ideal tool to illustrate poetic elements or emphasize stories of sharing scary yet necessary truths.”—School Library Journal, starred review

A young teen's secret is tearing him apart.

He knows he is gay but is afraid to share this knowledge with his parents or his friends. What if they reject him? And what can he do with the feelings he has for his childhood friend when he knows his friend does not feel the same way? The turmoil continues to rise with the force of a hurricane—total destruction seems almost certain.

Told in beautiful, evocative prose with its unique design, Like A Hurricane is a visually stunning exploration of what it means to be true to one's self.

Jonathan Bécotte is the author of a number of works for young people. The French edition of Like A Hurricane, Comme un ouragan, was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2021, as was his earlier young adult novel in verse, Maman veut partir (2018). Jonathan has won the Prix Cécile-Gagnon and the Prix Alvine-Bélisle. He lives in Montreal, where he teaches elementary school.

Jonathan Kaplansky received his BA from Tufts University and an MA in French language and literature at McGill University, as well as an MA in translation at the University of Ottawa. He has translated works by Annie Ernaux, Jean-Pierre Le Glaunec, Lise Tremblay, John Porter, Hélène Dorion, Hélène Rioux, Étienne Beaulieu and Simon Brault. He lives in Montreal.

ISBN: 9781459835238
Format: Paperback
Pages: 128
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: February 14, 2023

★“Takes one’s breath away with its poetry and power…The kind of book readers can pore over. The more time spent with it, the better it gets…Deeply affecting. An ideal tool to illustrate poetic elements or emphasize stories of sharing scary yet necessary truths.”★“Immediate and immersive...Sensitive and reassuring, this book powerfully explores the deeply personal and universal need to breathe ‘for real, / for the first time.’”“Succinct, highly emotive text sensitively conveys the protagonist’s shifting worldview and his developing courage in owning who he is and allowing his family and friends, who are minimally characterized, to act as a support system amid his internal storm.”“Beautiful, heart-warming, heart-rending, exquisitely realized in verse with minimal text, each word powerful and poignant...A text one will want to read and reread and reread. Highly Recommended.”“Utilizes different layouts for the boy's words, allowing them to flow along and around the pages…An engaging and direct piece for this age group. It is a page-turning novel in verse that pulls at the reader’s heartstrings…A very worthwhile addition to any collection serving middle-school-age kids. Highly Recommended.”“Powerful…The design of this moving book is as stormy as Bécotte’s insightful poems.”“A sensitive and evocative stream-of-consciousness novel that might very well heal readers struggling with their identities. Very highly recommended.”“Readers will feel the strong emotion described by the author and share the sense of every feeling expressed. Heart-wrenching true, and triumphant in the end. Written for everyone who needs this story. Recommended for elementary classrooms and libraries.”