Storm Runners

• Genre: Fiction; middle-grade thriller/adventure
• Originally Published: 2010
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 700L; grades 4-7
• Structure/Length: 37 chapters; approx. 160 pages; approx. 2 hours, 30 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The protagonist, Chase Masters, travels with his father, a storm chaser. Chase becomes separated from his father when their truck breaks down in the path of a dangerous hurricane. The central conflict revolves around Chase’s struggle to survive the storm and reach safety while helping other children trapped in the disaster.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Extreme weather conditions; danger; death; themes of fear and survival

Roland Smith, Author

• Bio: Born 1951; American author of young adult fiction; former zookeeper and researcher; known for his well-researched adventure novels; work often features wildlife and environmental themes
• Other Works: Zach’s Lie (2001); Cryptid Hunters (2005); Peak (2007); Tentacles (2009)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Value of Preparedness
• The Importance of Working Together
• The Irony of Fate

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of historical and social contexts around hurricanes, which drives the central conflict of person versus nature.
• Read paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Value of Preparedness, The Importance of Working Together, and The Irony of Fate.