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Tornado Brain
A neurodivergent 7th grader is determined to find her missing best friend before it's too late.
Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her twin sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent, with diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum and attention processing disorders. Frankie can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated.
Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late.
Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her twin sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent, with diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum and attention processing disorders. Frankie can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated.
Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2020
About the author
Cat Patrick
8 books1,636 followersCat Patrick is the author of middle grade books Tornado Brain and Paper Heart, as well as young adult books Forgotten, Revived, The Originals, and, with Suzanne Young, Just Like Fate.
Find her online at www.catpatrick.com.
Find her online at www.catpatrick.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
June 30, 2020
Won via goodreads giveaways, all my opinions are my 0wn:)
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Headache still so this will be a short review.
A couple things I thought should have been explored more but overall this was an enjoyable read.
The ending felt a bit out of place though with what happened previous in the story, had me scratching my head a bit.
It did keep my attention, I was fully immersed in the story.. just wish I had loved it more.
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Headache still so this will be a short review.
A couple things I thought should have been explored more but overall this was an enjoyable read.
The ending felt a bit out of place though with what happened previous in the story, had me scratching my head a bit.
It did keep my attention, I was fully immersed in the story.. just wish I had loved it more.
April 23, 2020
Growing up in the midwest = tornado awareness. As a little girl I remember my father showing me a tornado that was lurking up in the sky just miles from our farm. So, I found this pairing of tornado facts/myths with Frankie's neurodivergent condition to be a fascinating premise. On top of that Frankie is a fraternal twin as I am. Many factors connected me to this book, but Cat Patrick's writing made the book amazing. The story is told from Frankie's perspective. We spend about a week plus the epilogue seeing the world through her eyes. Her friend Collette is missing, so there is a mystery to solve. It is difficult to be insider her head at times. You want to tell her not say what she is thinking, to keep her voice down, to be nicer to her mother, not to throw that rock. . .Reading this new middle grade novel will help build empathy for the kids who struggle and validation for the strugglers. It could potentially be a read aloud in the classroom paired with a weather unit. I am calling it now -- this could be a contender for the Newbery in 2021.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2020
Life is more difficult when you don't like to be touched, get easily distracted, and have difficulty containing your emotions. It's especially difficult to make friends. Frankie used to be friends with her perfect twin sister Tess and her best friend since forever Colette. But things are different now. After Colette goes missing, Frankie and Tess band together to find her and in the process they'll maybe just understand each other a little bit better.
It took a little while to get into Frankie's perspective but once I did and Colette was deemed missing, the story took off. I couldn't get enough of the fast paced nature of this mystery. I flew through the pages. Meanwhile, I got to know a completely different outlook on life with the struggles Frankie faced daily. She tried so hard to control her emotions like she was taught to but it's difficult for her to not want to scream when she doesn't feel heard. As a main character, Frankie was fascinating. Her POV vs. her parents, sister's, and other around her made me empathetic towards her. How frustrating it must be to try to do better and no one seems to notice. There was a lot of good moments and discussions around being neurodiverse. I especially liked seeing her interactions with her mother and seeing her parenting style with a neurodiverse daughter. The drama and friendship aspect were really well done. I thought it captured the complexities of having friends as a teenager and let's be honest, in life. I enjoyed the facts and myths about tornadoes in the beginning of each chapter. It truly makes me want to read books on tornadoes now.
Tornado Brain had many great things going for it but it missed so many opportunities. I know the main purpose of this book was to get an understanding of Frankie rather than see her grow but it was something that could have been examined to a wider degree. I felt like Colette and her sister were trying so hard to be kind and considerate of Frankie's feelings but she didn't reciprocate. I know by the end of the story, she was sorry for the way she acted but I don't know if she showed it enough for me as a reader. There was also a heartbreaking moment where her mother tells her "Please remember to be kind." and Frankie asks in her head, "Do you think I'm a mean person?" Why was that not explored later on in the story? Frankie obviously needed to have a heart to heart with her mother, but where was it? Lastly, my main criticism of this story is - are you kidding me with that ending? I was getting emotional towards of the end of the story, but then that completely stopped because of how everything was resolved. I don't feel like Frankie even seemed to care because when asked how her summer she responded that it was mostly good. Excuse me? How could it be? I love emotional stories so for me to not like that ridiculous conclusion is saying something. I'm disappointed because I was genuinely enjoying this book.
Tornado Brain creates great discussion around the perspective of a neurodiverse character in a fast paced mystery but ultimately misses opportunities and has a disappointing conclusion.
Thanks to Penguin Group (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers) and NetGalley for letting me read Tornado Brain in exchange for an honest review!
It took a little while to get into Frankie's perspective but once I did and Colette was deemed missing, the story took off. I couldn't get enough of the fast paced nature of this mystery. I flew through the pages. Meanwhile, I got to know a completely different outlook on life with the struggles Frankie faced daily. She tried so hard to control her emotions like she was taught to but it's difficult for her to not want to scream when she doesn't feel heard. As a main character, Frankie was fascinating. Her POV vs. her parents, sister's, and other around her made me empathetic towards her. How frustrating it must be to try to do better and no one seems to notice. There was a lot of good moments and discussions around being neurodiverse. I especially liked seeing her interactions with her mother and seeing her parenting style with a neurodiverse daughter. The drama and friendship aspect were really well done. I thought it captured the complexities of having friends as a teenager and let's be honest, in life. I enjoyed the facts and myths about tornadoes in the beginning of each chapter. It truly makes me want to read books on tornadoes now.
Tornado Brain had many great things going for it but it missed so many opportunities. I know the main purpose of this book was to get an understanding of Frankie rather than see her grow but it was something that could have been examined to a wider degree. I felt like Colette and her sister were trying so hard to be kind and considerate of Frankie's feelings but she didn't reciprocate. I know by the end of the story, she was sorry for the way she acted but I don't know if she showed it enough for me as a reader. There was also a heartbreaking moment where her mother tells her "Please remember to be kind." and Frankie asks in her head, "Do you think I'm a mean person?" Why was that not explored later on in the story? Frankie obviously needed to have a heart to heart with her mother, but where was it? Lastly, my main criticism of this story is - are you kidding me with that ending? I was getting emotional towards of the end of the story, but then that completely stopped because of how everything was resolved. I don't feel like Frankie even seemed to care because when asked how her summer she responded that it was mostly good. Excuse me? How could it be? I love emotional stories so for me to not like that ridiculous conclusion is saying something. I'm disappointed because I was genuinely enjoying this book.
Tornado Brain creates great discussion around the perspective of a neurodiverse character in a fast paced mystery but ultimately misses opportunities and has a disappointing conclusion.
Thanks to Penguin Group (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers) and NetGalley for letting me read Tornado Brain in exchange for an honest review!
June 8, 2020
Don’t let that cutesy cover fool you, there’s more than meets the eye in this hard-hitting story. Tess and Frankie are fraternal twins, but Frankie will openly share that she has certain needs that Tess does not. For example, Frankie doesn’t ever like to be touched, loud noises bother her, and she needs a very reliable routine. Frankie is also well aware of the fact that she has trouble making friends. That’s why she’s so bothered by the fact that Colette is no longer her friend. And why is that? Ooof. This story has a slowly unfolding mystery that kept me glued to the narration! With such young characters, this story was far deeper than I anticipated. I especially liked that it is told from a neurodiverse character’s perspective. It’s so important to have books like this in the world to serve as both a mirror and window for readers. My thanks to Libro.fm for providing me the audiobook of Tornado Brain.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
November 29, 2020
I highly recommend this book! It focuses on a neurodiverse child and gives insights into how these children think. Having neurodiverse children, and being neurodiverse myself, I felt this book was very insightful, and can be helpful to neurotypical people in understanding a different way of thinking!!
October 11, 2022
I would recommend this if you like a slow pace mystery. But it's really not my thing. It's a good book with details that help you create an image though.
January 9, 2023
Es ist wirklich an der Zeit für mehr Figuren wie Frankie!
Frankie ist die lustige, aufgeweckte Hauptperson, von der "Tornado im Kopf" erzählt. Sie ist ein 13 jähriges Mädchen mit Autismus, die sich mit ihrer Freundschaftsgruppe bestehend aus ihrer Zwillingsschwester Tess und Collette zerstritten hat. Als Collette plötzlich vermisst wird, will Frankie das Rätsel ihres Verschwindens lösen.
Die Geschichte hat mich wirklich berührt, zu viel möchte ich nicht verraten aber ich finde es schön, wie hier über Freundschaft geschrieben wird. Die Figuren sind allesamt liebenswert und gerade durch ihre Fehler und Probleme menschlich und mehrdimensional. Die Handlung hat mich zwar sehr an "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" erinnert und eigentlich wird hier nur der typische Krimi wiederholt, aber Patrick gelingt es, die Krimi-Elemente neu und interessant anzuordnen.
Gelungen fand ich auch, dass die Stärken von Frankie herausgearbeitet werden und sie ihre Symptome nicht "überwinden" muss, um geliebt zu werden (wie es sonst leider sehr oft beschrieben wird).
Frankie ist die lustige, aufgeweckte Hauptperson, von der "Tornado im Kopf" erzählt. Sie ist ein 13 jähriges Mädchen mit Autismus, die sich mit ihrer Freundschaftsgruppe bestehend aus ihrer Zwillingsschwester Tess und Collette zerstritten hat. Als Collette plötzlich vermisst wird, will Frankie das Rätsel ihres Verschwindens lösen.
Die Geschichte hat mich wirklich berührt, zu viel möchte ich nicht verraten aber ich finde es schön, wie hier über Freundschaft geschrieben wird. Die Figuren sind allesamt liebenswert und gerade durch ihre Fehler und Probleme menschlich und mehrdimensional. Die Handlung hat mich zwar sehr an "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" erinnert und eigentlich wird hier nur der typische Krimi wiederholt, aber Patrick gelingt es, die Krimi-Elemente neu und interessant anzuordnen.
Gelungen fand ich auch, dass die Stärken von Frankie herausgearbeitet werden und sie ihre Symptome nicht "überwinden" muss, um geliebt zu werden (wie es sonst leider sehr oft beschrieben wird).
December 4, 2022
“sometimes i don’t notice things at all and sometimes i notice things too much.”
rtc.
rtc.
August 9, 2021
“If a tornado was in middle school, it might get a lot of weird looks.”
🌪
Francis (call me Frankie) struggles with friends. Things don’t come easily to her like they do for her twin sister, Tess. Frankie is neurodivergent, ADHD, she’s on the autism spectrum and has sensory process issues. This makes it hard for Frankie to make and keep friends, but when the only friend she’s ever had goes missing, Frankie makes it her mission to find Colette, even though they haven’t been friends for a few months and had an argument the night she went missing. But time is running out as Frankie and Tess rush to put the clues together and find Colette before it’s too late.
🌪
Don’t let this adorable cover fool you: this MG book has so much depth, heart and importance to it. We don’t get enough books about neurodivergent students so I really appreciated the representation this novel has with Frankie. This will work great as a read aloud and promote understanding and empathy. There is a sequel to this book with Tess’s sister called Paper Heart that just released.
CW: disappearance of a child, death
🌪
Francis (call me Frankie) struggles with friends. Things don’t come easily to her like they do for her twin sister, Tess. Frankie is neurodivergent, ADHD, she’s on the autism spectrum and has sensory process issues. This makes it hard for Frankie to make and keep friends, but when the only friend she’s ever had goes missing, Frankie makes it her mission to find Colette, even though they haven’t been friends for a few months and had an argument the night she went missing. But time is running out as Frankie and Tess rush to put the clues together and find Colette before it’s too late.
🌪
Don’t let this adorable cover fool you: this MG book has so much depth, heart and importance to it. We don’t get enough books about neurodivergent students so I really appreciated the representation this novel has with Frankie. This will work great as a read aloud and promote understanding and empathy. There is a sequel to this book with Tess’s sister called Paper Heart that just released.
CW: disappearance of a child, death
August 13, 2020
In the coastal community of Long Beach, Washington, 7th grader Frankie is neurodiverse. She doesn't like touch, or loud sounds, and often says what's on her mind even though she may get in trouble. After a falling out with her twin sister Tess and best friend Collette, Frankie's world becomes even more difficult. Soon afterwards, the town discovers that Collette is missing and Frankie may be the only one to figure out what has happened to her. This is a wonderful, sad, and yet very heartwarming story of friendship, sisterhood, daily challenges, and how the rest of us may need to be a bit more empathetic.
August 17, 2020
Tornado Brain by @authorcatpatrick is STUNNING with a neurodivergent MC who is obsessed with tornados (and sometimes feels like one herself). Frankie's big emotions and sensory processing difficulties make friendship hard, but she did have two best friends once -- her twin sister and Colette. Now Colette has gone missing and the twins are the only ones who might know where she's gone. As someone who knows and loves someone who is neurodivergent, this felt spot-on and led to great conversations in my house. I'm going to be recommending this one like crazy from now on. Grades 4+
November 6, 2020
Wow, wow, WOW! This was an excellent middle grade mystery story featuring a neuro-divergent main character. The writing style puts you in the main characters brain and really displays the challenges of living with neurological differences. Highly recommend!
October 5, 2020
I wanted to love this. I just...didn't. The writing was very good and the story kept me engaged, but I felt Frankie lacked...something?
June 21, 2024
This book was so good! It gave me all the feels. I really thought that Frankie’s POV was well-written, intriguing, and also cool that it was from a neurodivergent character’s perspective, which I haven’t read many books of.
If I could, I would give this book only ⭐️4.5 stars⭐️ and here’s my three reasons why:
- I thought that even though the plot didn’t necessarily jump around, it was a bit hard to follow at a few parts. That might just be because I listened to the audiobook version, or maybe because the author tried to cram a bunch of things into each day.
- I thought that there were a few unrealistic parts, specifically the movie theater part. I am about the same age as Frankie and Tess are, but I’m almost positive no parents would let their kids go out all alone at night, not be home till 11 or after, and especially if their best friend is missing! I get that the author tried to say things like the mom was cautious about letting them go out since Colette was missing, but still. You might disagree, but that’s just what I thought.
- My last thing I didn’t like about the book was that the ending could’ve been fixed up a little better. I felt like there were some loose strings, and then the author kinda resolved the ending in a not-great way. I still thought that it was a good (and sad) ending, just that it could’ve been better.
But I did really like the book!! I would recommend it for people who like mysteries that are dramatic and intense but are also tear jerking.
I hope you’ll read this book if you haven’t before, and that you’ll like it as much as I did! Thanks for taking the time to read my review! 😊
If I could, I would give this book only ⭐️4.5 stars⭐️ and here’s my three reasons why:
- I thought that even though the plot didn’t necessarily jump around, it was a bit hard to follow at a few parts. That might just be because I listened to the audiobook version, or maybe because the author tried to cram a bunch of things into each day.
- I thought that there were a few unrealistic parts, specifically the movie theater part. I am about the same age as Frankie and Tess are, but I’m almost positive no parents would let their kids go out all alone at night, not be home till 11 or after, and especially if their best friend is missing! I get that the author tried to say things like the mom was cautious about letting them go out since Colette was missing, but still. You might disagree, but that’s just what I thought.
- My last thing I didn’t like about the book was that the ending could’ve been fixed up a little better. I felt like there were some loose strings, and then the author kinda resolved the ending in a not-great way. I still thought that it was a good (and sad) ending, just that it could’ve been better.
But I did really like the book!! I would recommend it for people who like mysteries that are dramatic and intense but are also tear jerking.
I hope you’ll read this book if you haven’t before, and that you’ll like it as much as I did! Thanks for taking the time to read my review! 😊
June 14, 2023
4.25 stars
Thirteen year old Frankie wishes she were “normal” like her twin sister Tess but having Asperger’s means she doesn’t like changes or being touched and has no filter when it’s time to speak. After seeing a tornado when she was five, Frankie has been obsessed with them. Frankie overhears her best friend, Colette, call her a “tornado brain” so she’s been avoiding her. When Colette goes missing, Frankie becomes consumed with finding her.
TORNADO BRAIN is such a great middle grade book. The mystery provides enough tension to keep readers invested as it touches on themes of friendship, inclusivity, family, and acceptance. I loved Frankie and her family and think many young readers will relate to her. The story is told from her point of view and it’s full of emotion. Jorjeana Marie does a fantastic job of bringing her to life in the audio version of the book.
Thirteen year old Frankie wishes she were “normal” like her twin sister Tess but having Asperger’s means she doesn’t like changes or being touched and has no filter when it’s time to speak. After seeing a tornado when she was five, Frankie has been obsessed with them. Frankie overhears her best friend, Colette, call her a “tornado brain” so she’s been avoiding her. When Colette goes missing, Frankie becomes consumed with finding her.
TORNADO BRAIN is such a great middle grade book. The mystery provides enough tension to keep readers invested as it touches on themes of friendship, inclusivity, family, and acceptance. I loved Frankie and her family and think many young readers will relate to her. The story is told from her point of view and it’s full of emotion. Jorjeana Marie does a fantastic job of bringing her to life in the audio version of the book.
March 20, 2022
Wonderful!
April 15, 2020
I received an ARC of this book. Once I started reading it, I had trouble putting it down. It is the story of a couple of twin middle school sisters who have a missing friend. The book is written from the perspective of the sister who is neurodiverse. She thinks she knows what the friend was doing and where she might be but she has trouble vocalizing her thoughts. The author does a great job of putting you inside her head. The story does deal with some heavy situations and I'd encourage parents to read this book if their kid picks it up.
April 26, 2022
A middle grade realistic mystery fiction novel starring a neurodivergent teen who struggles with knowing her unique way of thinking and experiencing the world has much value.
As someone who identifies with the main character, I'm so grateful for this story, and more books with neurodivergent characters that reflect realistically what life is like from our perspectives, and in that, hopefully helps readers gain empathy and sends the message that we're all unique and beautiful and have much to contribute to this world.
As someone who identifies with the main character, I'm so grateful for this story, and more books with neurodivergent characters that reflect realistically what life is like from our perspectives, and in that, hopefully helps readers gain empathy and sends the message that we're all unique and beautiful and have much to contribute to this world.
June 3, 2021
Wow this book was really good. It's one of the only books I've ever read that directly deals with Would definitely recommend. The beginning is a little slow, but once you get past that it's really good.
Conclusion:
Good book!
Conclusion:
Good book!
May 3, 2020
Call it premature, but Tornado Brain is guaranteed to be my favorite pick of 2020. This middle grade book about neuro-diverse Frankie in the aftermath of her ex-best friend’s disappearance is one of the most well-written fiction stories I have ever read about a differently minded character. The mystery is smart, the relationships and interactions are believable, and the research for this book is palpable. I have not read a more emotionally impactful book in years. On a personal note: As someone whose spouse has suffered from a severe brain injury to his frontal lobe, I thank you, Cat, for getting it right.
September 2, 2020
Wow. Ok, let me go throw away the box of tissues I went through and I'll be back to write my review... So, I loved this story. It gives insight into the minds of neurodivergent people. I happen to know several (none very well) and this book helps me to understand their personalities a lot more. Loved all the characters in this story and the friendships, especially between the sisters. To me this book is on the border between middle grade and young adult and I will have it in my elementary library and recommend to the 5th graders. 4.5 stars for this one.
July 7, 2020
I started this book when I wasn’t quite ready, but I came back to it and I’m so glad I did. The mystery of the plot, the true nature of friendship in early adolescence, and in particular the honest and positive portrayal of someone on the spectrum come together in a way that is a perfect addition to any middle grade collection.
July 28, 2020
This one was great for my kids. One of my children has a few of the same diagnoses as Frankie does and it was really great to see him represented in a book. I haven't come across a middle grade book with Sensory Processing Disorder before and I am so glad this is out there. This is a solid book on neurodiversity.
January 11, 2021
I enjoyed this realistic fiction book who follows seventh graders Frankie and her twin sister Tess. Both sisters were friends with Collette who has gone missing and both girls saw her the night before her disappearance. The twins are polar opposites with Tess being outgoing and Frankie more reserved with a sensory disorder. Can the twins help find their friend before it is too late?
January 25, 2021
This story has a great premise. I was excited to read a book about an autistic student. This had a mystery in the story as well. I really liked the character Frankie and the author did a great job at building her character. However, the story seemed to drag in parts, especially when the story went back in time. I felt I wasn't really caring about the relationships in the past.
October 29, 2020
I loved every single thing about this book.
December 28, 2022
wow i loved this book. i wish i’d read it sooner (i’ve had it for two and a half years). there were a lot of quotes and moments of the book that reminded me of my own childhood. for example when frankie told a kid that her glasses made her look like a grandma but she didn’t mean it to be mean she was just saying a fact, reminded me of the time i told my grandma she looked like a rotten banana because of her freckles (which i thought was super cool) and was super confused when she got really upset - a classic hannah childhood story 😂 it felt like the author had taken thoughts out of my brain at other times. i feel like this book had the general theme of how growing up is hard and being neurodivergent and a twin (!!) all have other challenges different from what other kids experience but not all bad (even though they sometimes feel that way). i loved frankie’s voice and how important people in her life really tried to be understanding and help, even though sometimes they made mistakes or her sister was being a teenager about things sometimes. i love how tornado facts are included throughout the book and frankie uses them to compare and relate to other things going on. i love how tess explicitly told frankie how she liked how her brain works and how the way she thought about the problem, noticed details everyone else missed, and shared her thoughts while others may not have said anything, helped everyone and was key to figuring out what happened. i also thought the descriptions of frankie’s crush and how she didn’t know how any of it felt or how she felt about it were relateable to me as a teenager. i know with the way the story shook out it wouldn’t make sense for there to be a sequel, but i want to read about frankie in 8th grade and how things go with kai and tess and dillon and mia and gabe and her mom and charles. i can definitely see myself rereading this book in the future which is not a thing i do very often.
June 17, 2020
“My grieving wasn’t the same every day. And it wasn’t the same s anyone else’s way of handling it. It wasn’t wrong or right. It wasn’t abnormal or normal.
It just was.”
A story that so much connects tornadoes to grief, I found myself making all the connections at the end. A story of friendship, differences, acceptance, and most of all, understanding. Frankie and Tess are twin sisters who are both very much different. Frankie struggles with expressing herself to others on a daily basis, as someone living with what her therapist calls “neurodivergent,” her processing of emotions and feelings are completely different than that of her sister Tess. To the outside Tess is the “normal” sister, if there was such a thing as normal, but Frankie doesn’t quite accept that, not at first at least. Colette was Frankie’s best friend who she met in Kindergarten during a tornado, and then Colette wasn’t Frankie’s best friend anymore after Frankie hearing something that severely hurt her feelings. The only problem is, Collette goes missing and in the search for her Frankie has to face her emotions head on and it’s hard. Tornado Brain is definitely a story that is brutally honest, it’ll make your heart hurt whilst understanding all that each character is going through.
It just was.”
A story that so much connects tornadoes to grief, I found myself making all the connections at the end. A story of friendship, differences, acceptance, and most of all, understanding. Frankie and Tess are twin sisters who are both very much different. Frankie struggles with expressing herself to others on a daily basis, as someone living with what her therapist calls “neurodivergent,” her processing of emotions and feelings are completely different than that of her sister Tess. To the outside Tess is the “normal” sister, if there was such a thing as normal, but Frankie doesn’t quite accept that, not at first at least. Colette was Frankie’s best friend who she met in Kindergarten during a tornado, and then Colette wasn’t Frankie’s best friend anymore after Frankie hearing something that severely hurt her feelings. The only problem is, Collette goes missing and in the search for her Frankie has to face her emotions head on and it’s hard. Tornado Brain is definitely a story that is brutally honest, it’ll make your heart hurt whilst understanding all that each character is going through.
March 31, 2021
I read this for the #BitAboutBooks Spring Reading Challenge and an #Own Voices story. Frankie is 13 years old, neurodiverse and her perception of the world is definitely different from others. She sees a therapist and takes medications, but ends this when she overhears her best friend, Collette and sister, Tess and another friend talking about her. Rather than confront them, she bottles it up, and she distances herself from them. Because Cat is neurodiverse she does not tell the reader that she has a twin (and this twin is also friends with Collette) and this is the way her brain works, and middle grade students will be drawn into her story that is about family, friendship, lies, secrets, and trying to figure things out. I learned so much from Frankie, but also from her sister, Tess, but the way they interact raises many questions because of the way Frankie is--compulsive, shouting out, hating being touched, and many more of her challenges. A must read!
February 21, 2022
I picked it up Bc I have several dear to me folks with sensory perception disorder, autism, and/or ADHD and I was curious to see a little of what it *might* feel like to live inside their world.
I stayed for the story, which is funny, sad, devastatingly honest, and somehow hopeful. I am consistently blown away by the deft way novelists like Cat Patrick portray the swirling mix of emotions that is life in the middle school years.
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