Cover illustration by Paddy Donnelly
When we first found out about THE LIGHNTING CATCHER we couldn’t wait to get our hands on a copy. Not only did we also move from the City to the countryside, but with a son and daughter (also called Lily), there were so many similarities. Described as Stranger Things meets Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Lightning Catcher is an electrifying tale about a boy called Alfie who discovers some strange happenings in his new town.
Both Joseph (12) and Lily (10) LOVED this middle grade debut. It’s a perfect mix of science and adventure. Clare Weze keeps the reader on their toes throughout the whole book with some unexpected twists and wonderful characters.
Review
The Lightning Catcher by Clare Weze is an electrifying tale about a boy named Alfie and his adventures in Folding Ford. Clare Weze has managed to create a thrilling, interesting read with a unique storyline and imaginative ideas all in one action-packed novel. In this amazing book you follow Alfie as he goes on an adventure that all started when this new town started to get strange. I liked how inquisitive Alfie is, even though his curiosity ended up sparking a crazy adventure when he opened up a box he shouldn’t have.
I enjoyed this book because of how creative it is, and I recommend this to everyone!
By Lily, age 10
Synopsis
Alfie has noticed a few things since his family moved to Folding Ford. He really misses life in the city. He and his sister don’t exactly fit in here. But the most interesting one is that the weather is BONKERS. One frost-covered branch on one tree in the middle of June? A tiny whirlwind in a bucket in the garden? Only in Folding Ford.
Armed with his bike, a notepad and his new best mate Sam, Alfie is going to investigate. His best clue is Nathaniel Clemm … the only thing in town weirder than the weather. When Alfie ‘investigates’ Mr Clemm’s garden, only SLIGHTLY illegally, he finds a strange box that freezes his trainers and makes his teeth tingle. And when he opens it, only SLIGHTLY deliberately, SOMETHING gets out. Something fast, fizzing and sparking with electricity and very, very much alive. But the creature from the box brings trouble of its own, and as barometers and tempers go haywire in Folding Ford, Alfie finds himself at the centre of a perfect storm.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending us a review copy.
THE LIGHNTING CATCHER is out now.