Megastorm! What Jake Stanley Finds

"Megastorm! What Jake Stanley Finds" is an engrossing book that intertwines the lives of two thirteen year olds, with a century old mystery. Jake Stanley and his parents are economically forced to move into his grandparents home that sits on a beach facing the roaring Atlantic Ocean. Jake misses his friends, his old life, and he has a secret that keeps him awake at night. He meets his next door neighbor Becky James who is still trying to cope with the recent death of her mother and her dad's grief. They are assigned to do a project on local history and chose to research, "The Portland Gale". This megastorm is the largest storm to ever hit the east coast of the US. It killed hundreds of people and sunk over a hundred boats and ships, the worst maritime disaster in recorded US history. There is an unsolved mystery as to why the captain of the ship the USS Portland, despite multiple warnings from many ships, sailed out to sea and into the jaws of death.! While researching this megastorm, they surprisingly find they are descendants from two of the heroes who saved many lives during this storm. they solve the mystery, become best friends, and learn to conquer their own fears. This well researched book on "The Portland Gale" will appeal to anyone who likes to read historical novels. It is a great read aloud book for teachers to read to their classes. Overcoming fears, adapting to new situations and understanding that history affects the present, are all great talking points in class discussions over this book. For adults who like to read historical fiction, there is enough of the true tale of this megastorm and the mystery of the captain's actions of sailing into the jaws of death, to pique their interest, too. It is maritime historical fiction and for those who love tales of the sea spiced up with a bit of mystery, this book is for you.