Hollywood Jesus
January 8th, 2016
Andrea Stunz
Inspired by her son, Melissa Pope’s children’s book, Storm Buddies, is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather. Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called the Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed. The Storm Buddies have “superpowers” that help calm Tommy during scary thunderstorms, ultimately comforting him to sleep.
“My eight year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had the Storm Buddies in his young life.” ~Melissa Pope, Author
Pope hopes her book will be a great relief to young children who may have experienced the frightening effects of hurricanes, violent storms or tornadoes.
I found the concept of this children’s book delightful. In fact, my own daughter promptly grabbed the cloud pouch with the plush characters inside and took them upstairs with her. The plush toys are well-made, cute and cuddly. I suspect they are just as the author intended. I also love that the story was written with older children in mind. It gives kids of all ages permission to be scared and to ask for help in coping with their fears.
While I loved the concept of this book paired with the adorable plush toy set as well as the permission Pope offers for children of all ages to be scared, the story seemed to end quite abruptly. I think the author missed out on an opportunity to proclaim God as our ultimate comforter and hero. He gives us tools to use, yes, but he is the One with the super powers. The Creator of the storm is the comforter in the storm – along with a soft little kitten, puppy and horse, of course.
I must mention that I didn’t love the part of the story where the dad and siblings made fun of Tommy’s fears and gave him a hard time, this is the way life is sometimes. It’s unfortunate but it’s true. By including this in the story, I’m sure that children who are also being made fun of will be comforted in knowing he/she is not alone.
All in all, I like this book set. It’s thoughtful, heartfelt and cuddly cute. I am pleased I had the opportunity to review it. It’s a great little book with colorful and relatable illustrations. The plush toy set is a very clever addition. It would make a great gift for a child who is fearful of storms. I can see this being a book being read to children everywhere as they sit in their parent or grandparent’s lap as a storm approaches.
Melissa Pope is a children’s book author, but before becoming an author, she was an elementary teacher. She and her husband have been married for 21 years, and they live with their three sons in the St. Louis area. Storm Buddies is Melissa’s first book, but she’s working on several others to help kids cope with other fears, such as dental visits, getting shots, and more.
Visit, www.stormbuddies.com to find out more about the author, illustrator and future projects.
The book set can be purchased at Amazon.com.