Thunder from the Sea

by Joan Hiatt Harlow

It's 1929 and thirteen-year-old Tom Campbell has always wanted a real family with a real house and a dog of his very own. Since he was three years old, the only home he has ever known has been the Mission orphanage.

When he is sent to live and work with fisherman Enoch and his wife, Tom finally sees his dream wihin reach. And when he rescues a Newfoundland dog in the middle of a terrifying squall, Tom feels as if both he and the dog, which he names Thunder, have found a place to call home at last.

But when Enoch's wife becomes pregnant and it looks like Thunder's owner might be found, Tom's wonderful new world is turned upside down. Will the Murrays still want Tom? And will Tom be forced to give up his beloved Thunder?

Genres: Animals, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Dogs, Fiction, Historical, Childrens

243 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story. I liked Tom and Thunder and the Murrays. The setting of a tiny island and a fishing village in Newfoundland was different and fun. The Bosworths really bugged me. It wasn’t just Bert either. He learned it from his father. I did like Nancy pretty well most of the time.
It was neat that most of the things that happened in this story are based on real events which made it fun.
There was some talk of ghosts and people who could supposedly help people get well just by saying words, but both things were scoffed at as unreal. The families (at least two, read their Bibles and prayed, and it felt real, not just added it.
There are two instances where a swear word is tacked onto another word as though that would make it okay. Otherwise I liked the story even if I’m a little over the age it was written for.

[Addisyn Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK! IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!

[Amanda Schell · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites from my childhood reading days :)

[Bernardo Costeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thunder From The Sea is by Joan Harlow. It's copyright is 2004 American Library Association
ISBN: 0689864035
Type of Book: Paperback
Thunder from the Sea had a very interesting cover that caught my eye because the dog in the cover is a Portuguese Water Dog, which is one of my favorite breeds.

Tom Campbell is a 13 year old orphan that has wanted a real family his entire life instead of living in a mission orphanage in St Anthony, Newfoundland that he has called his home his entire life. But, above all, Tom has always wanted his own dog. When he is adopted by Enoch and Fiona Murray, a couple that lives in Back O' the Moon Island, his life starts going upwards, especially when he finds a dog on a fishing trip with Enoch that he names Thunder. "He wondered if the Murrays had a dog- one that he could run and play with, one that would be his friend. That would make everything perfect."

Thunder From The Sea contains the theme of the unconditional power of love and family. This is revealed throughout the entire book. From when Tom first meets his new dog to when he has to save Fiona's child by getting him to the local hospital during a blizzard. Regardless of what the obstacle may be, Tom never lets anything get in the way of his family. It is not a very original theme but it is entertaining and reveals itself much better than your usual children's ook.

The several characters in the book are not very well described because Harlow chooses not to let the reader get too attached to unnecessary characters. She did this in order for Tom and Thunder to be the central focus and for the reader to feel closer to them above any other character. Every character in the book is fairly flat except the captain, the former owner of Thunder, who wants his loyal dog back but, at the same time, understands Tom's love for Thunder.

The climax, introduction, and the suspense of the story are all handled very well. The introduction starts off very slowly but when Tom finds Thunder the story gets very interesting. The element of suspense is also very good in this book. You never really know what will happen next, whether or not Thunder will stay with Tom. The conclusion is also very emotional and ouching to the reader.

During the story, the main plot is Tom trying to get Thunder to stay with him, however, the sub plot of the story also includes Tom's school life with the other students. He is often bullied by fellow students. Throughout the story, he tries to stick up for himself in order to earn respect.

The entire story takes place on an island called Back O' The Moon Island. This really fits the entire story because in a way it represents Tom's emotions before meeting Thunder and the atmosphere of the book itself, lonely and isolated.

I would recommend this great novel to any one of my peers. It is truly a great story of friendship and courage. The theme is apparent from the first page of the book to the last. Harlow did a great job at making sure the theme reflected on the entre story.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

i dont really read books that much but when i started to read this book i couldent put it down in the end ive read this book about 3 times its about a orphane who goes to live with some people and the people want to adopt him but he didnt know that and all of a sudden when he goes fishing with a guy they find a dog and tom (the boy) names it thunder right when tom starts to feel part of the family the women gets pregnat and tom starts to wonder if they want him once they have the baby, and to make things worse someone said that the person is coming over seas to take thunder back because he fell over board during a big storm , when winter comes the river is frozen over and the womens about to have her baby and the husbands on the anual hunting trip its up to tom and thunder to get her across the frozen river and to the doctors will tom and thunder get there in time and will they want tom after the baby come and will the owner af thunder take him away

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sort of book that makes me think back to Lassie-Come-Home and other dog books from 50 - 100 years ago. A story with just enough adventure, there the dog is a true hero and a true member of the family. Makes me want to go hug my own dog. I was delighted to find this story and will definitely be looking for other dog books by this author.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is wonderful, the author pulls you in and does not let go until the very end. I just wish I liked the story. It is a typical story, a child finds a dog, grows to love the dog, the dog saves humans(even the stupid humans), a human finds the correct dog owner, and a discussion has to be made and the real owner gives up the dog. Put in a couple of bullies, a woman who must hush the fighting men and top it all off with a man with a gun who "knows better" about what to do, shot first, and ask questions later. Yep, I really hated this story.

[April Murillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thunder from the sea is about a thirteen year old Tom Campbell wanted a family and aa house with a dog ever since hew was 3. the home that he has ever had was a mission orphanage. When he was sent to live and work with a fisherman and his wife tom saw his dream within reach a family and a dog he found a Newfoundland dog. But Toms life turns up side down the murray fish mans wife fiona becomes pregnant and they might have to get ride of Tome and the dog named thunder.As murray talks with fiona and discuses to keep tom and thunder.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy cute stories and dogs also i would recommend reading it in fifth grad to sixth grad because it is not very challenging but also it might be challenging if you read it in third or maybe even forth grade.

[Kt · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this a veryvery long time ago and it has a dog, so I probably loved it:)

[Whitney Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thunder from the Sea
By Joann Hiatt Harlow
Setting :
A small fishing village in Canada called Back o' the Moon in the year 1929.
Characters:
Tom Campbell: Main(human) character of the book. Tom is an orphaned teenage boy whose parents died of an unknown disease when he was young. In the first chapter we find out that he has just been sent to live with a fisherman and his wife.
Enoch: He is fisherman who takes care of Tom. Enoch is very kind despite his rough exterior.
Fiona: She is enoch's wife. Fiona is very kind and gentle.
Thunder: Thunder is a Newfoundland dog. Tom found him at sea while Tom and Enoch are fishing. Thunder becomes best friends with Tom.
Plot:
Tom is sent to live with Enoch and his wife. He is desperate to belong somewhere, so he is always trying to make a good impression. Tom finds a dog swimming in the ocean, miles from shore. Enoch helps him rescue the dog. Tom names him Thunder because he has a white spot on his chest shaped like a lightning bolt. Thunder soon becomes loved by the town when he saves a little girl who was lost in the woods. Fiona finds out she's pregnant. When Tom hears that Fiona is pregnant he becomes very afraid that they will send him back to the orphanage. A few days after this Thunder starts herding a few kids that live in town away from the ocean. One of their parents grabs a gun and is going to shoot Thunder when they are stopped by an earthquake. They then see a tidal wave coming and all the townsfolk run to a hillside and are safe. Even though their houses are destroyed they are thankful because without Thunder they and their children would have been killed by the tidal wave. In the winter Tom is warned by their neighbors not to go to the nearby town of Chance Along because Thunder's owner is looking for him. Tom is forced to go with Thunder to Chance Along when Fiona goes into labor and they find out that the baby is breach. Not only will Thunder be in danger of being taken from them, but if they don't get across the frozen lake fast enough both Fiona and the baby could die.
This book is a very good, even though it is a short read. I would recommend it to people that want something relaxing to read yet want the story to be interesting.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thunder from the Sea is an inspiring book about animal instincts and at the end of the book, human kindness. Of course, I really enjoyed this book. It is seriously the perfect blend of realistic fiction and fiction. The fact that Thunder came from the sea is hard to believe, but Tom Campbell, the protagonist, coming from an orphanage to live with people he just meets, go out fishing and come home with a dog they picked up in a storm. That is strange to say the least. That is probably the most fiction it becomes. The rest is all very realistic. Thunder really becomes a real dog to the readers. The way he is able to sense danger like a real dog can is really incredible. Thunder saves the Murray's, Tom's adopted family, from danger on more then one occasion. I do not want to say the situations because it ruins the story, however. The book is able to twist your emotions as well, when Thunder gets shot by Amos, Enoch Murray's friend and person extremely jealous of Thunder, and Thunder gets hurt for trying to save people, you genially feel bad. At the end when Thunder's real owner comes to take him from Tom, you feel really sad for Tom because of how they both deserve Thunder and both love Thunder. Of course, the end is where human kindness shows up, but you need to read to find out why it occurs. Anyway, Thunder from the Sea is an amazing book of the animal instincts that are extremely realistic and the fact that human kindness always succeeds in the end.

[Natalie Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally unfamiliar with this book and author, but my siblings wanted me to read this book and check it out for them. ('Cuz they all know how much I love to read. 😉) And I did - after letting it sit around on my dresser for a month.

There were a few things I didn't really like at the beginning of the story. I was afraid the orphan aspect would be too stereotypical as well as the dog part. In a way, it kinda was. The main thing I didn't like was the bully. It annoys me when there's a kid acting mean for basically no reason. Actually his whole family wasn't the kindest. It didn't end up being as bad as I thought it would, though, so that's good. There was also some talk of ghosts.

Now for what I did like! 😉 The more I read of this, the more I liked it! Mr. and Mrs. Murray were such nice folks, and Tom tried so hard to always do the right thing. By the end, Bert was no longer acting like a bully, and his whole family came around to acting a lot nicer too. Definitely enjoyed that part of the story! While I had written off a lot of the story as being quite fictional, I was really surprised to read in the author's note (at the end) that most of the story was based on real events! Truth is stranger than fiction, I guess. Also, the whole fishing-town aspect was enjoyable.

Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars.

[Anthony Ovsepyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for two reasons. One, i had it for a while and i didn't read it, two,it look interesting to me. The book is about a orphan named Tom Campbell who got adopted and wanted a dog. In the middle of the book, Tom finds a dog in the middle of a storm and takes care of it, the owner comes and lets Tom keep the dog. My favorite quote is "You'r a fine dog Thunder and i wish your were mine, but you'r not, you are really Tom's dog." I love this quote because the owner saw how much Tom cared for Thunder and let Tom keep him. The point of view is in the perspective of Tom. The writing style of the author shows how much Tom cares for Thunder and whoever his family is. I would recommend this book to anyone who is an average reader. This book shows caring so if anyone likes these books, they should read it. This is a great book in my opinion.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I think that Tom has caused a lot of problems with the Bosworths. Bert stole Thunder, Thunder is a dog that Tom found durring a stormy fishing trip. He named him Thunder because he found him durring a thunder storm. Amos,(Bert's father)wants the dog real bad for some reason. It is like Bert controls his father because Bert wined to get Thunder and then Amos got real mad. I think Bert is spoiled by his dad. I predict that Bert is so spoiled that it will get him in trouble.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom has always wanted a family and a dog. When they go fishing, they rescue a dog,but there bossy neighbors think the dog should be theirs. Will Tom and the dog,Thunder, become a problem in this family or heroes?

Reasons I like this book-

Reason 1- There is a dog in this story.

Reason 2- The book is historical fiction.

Reason 3- The story is about putting a family together.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this author's books set in Newfoundland. I've learned a lot about the place that I didn't know before. This one was particularly interesting because it's based on a real historical event-- a tsunami-- that occurred in 1929.

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the early nineteen hundreds Newfoundland, Thunder From the Sea, is a moving story of an orphan, a dog, and a loving couple who against all odds become a complete and happy family. Some of the jargon was a bit foreign but pretty easy to figure out. All in all a great read with a happy ending!

[Sarah Gallini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really sweet story. Her book star in the storm was one of my favorites growing up and this one is just as good. They were similar in settings and characters but still really good.

[Chanelle S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who likes dog books? Thunder is a huge Newfoundland—as big as a small horse. He’s so big that he is harnessed to a sled and pulls huge loads of wood, or groceries, or even a woman expecting a baby across the frozen ice. He is a smart dog, the kind that knows when danger is coming and tries to protect his owners, the kind of dog that can track a missing person by sniffing something that that person has owned. Thunder got his name because he was found by Tom and Enoch during a huge thunderstorm. But they weren’t in the woods or in a town when they found Thunder . . . they were in a small fishing boat, way out in the ocean.

Tom and Enoch were bailing water out of their boat as the thunder crashed and the rain poured down on them, and as Tom looked out at the waves, he spotted a black head bobbing. At first he thought it was a seal, but when he looked again, he just knew it was a dog—the dog he’d always wanted. He shouted to Enoch, “It’s a dog! We’ve got to save him!” The man who was steering the boat yelled, “It’s too dangerous! We could swamp!” but Enoch knew what to do: he grabbed a net and shouted for Tom to give him a hand—they threw the net over the struggling dog and hauled him aboard, the boat tipping dangerously as his huge bulk came over the side.

But once he was aboard, they could see he was a beauty—young and strong, black with a zigzag of white streaking down his chest like lightning. Thunder was a perfect name for him.

(Review: The biggest hang up in this book is the vocabulary. An elementary school child would love the story, but the Newfoundlander expressions, like “bullamarue,” “a right laddio,” “prate-box,” “cheek music,” and “chucklehead,” may be troublesome for a struggling reader. All uncommon expressions can be figured out using context clues. Some of them, actually, are insults flung between the two teenage boys who figure prominently in the story. One family is selfish and troublesome and proud and their actions cause most of the conflict. Tom reacts to the poor behavior, sometimes reciprocating in kind, and then worries if he’ll still be wanted by his adoptive family. He feels like an outsider despite their frequent reassurances. Good family values and a Christian home with plenty of prayer, and a number of references to specific Bible stories, commandments, and assurances [don’t be anxious, do not covet, Lazarus, etc.]. It’s a decent read with plenty of action and a small amount of historically accurate detail.)

[Kim Barletter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating - 3.5 stars

Thunder from the Sea was a really fun and sweet book in the perspective of a young orphan named Tom.

The story starts off in 1929, with Tom being newly cared for/fostered by a couple named Enoch and Fiona Murray. During this story, we learn about Tom's fears, and watch him trying his best to make sure he doesn't do anything to ruin his relationship with the Murrays, as he desperately wants a family and doesn't want to be sent back to the mission.

Very soon after he arrives, though, he goes out fishing with Enoch and his neighbors, and they mysteriously find a dog out in the middle of the sea! Tom is very quick to claim the dog, as he was the one who spotted and saved it. But the neighbor boy wants it as well. And this leads to a kind of feud between the two families.

During the rest of the book, Tom and the dog, named Thunder, grow to be close pals, as well as heroes on the small island.

This book, while being very simple in a way, was also very enjoyable! I enjoyed the characters, and absolutely loved the relationship between Tom and Thunder. I also loved watching the growth of the Murray family, how they started seeing Tom more and more as their own son, instead of a boy they were caring for. It was all very sweet and heartwarming! I would recommend this book to anybody who wants a sweet and cute read about family and doggy love :D

[Linnae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction that will draw kids in.

It's 1929, and Tom Campbell is 13 years old. He has always wanted a family of his own, so when he is sent to live with Enoch and his wife Fiona on Back O' The Moon Island (off the Canadian coast), he is determined to make it work. He does everything he can to help Enoch with his fishing and holds his own with local bullies. If only he could have a dog, life would be perfect.

Enoch and Fiona seem to like him well enough, but he just can't let himself come to rely on them. It has been too long since he's had anyone but himself to rely on. Then a couple of things happen: Fiona gets pregnant, and Tom rescues a dog from the ocean in the middle of a storm. He names the dog Thunder. His two biggest fears are that once the baby comes, Enoch and Fiona will not want him anymore, and that Thunder's real owner will be found and take away his best friend.

* * * * *
Well-written, with strong characters. If I was still in the library, this would be a book to hand-sell to young patrons. It's not as flashy as some, so I don't know how many kids would pick it up on their own, but there's a lot to like about it: the hero dog, the orphan boy who makes good, dealing with bullies, and so on.

We may do this one as a read-aloud this summer.


I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming story about an orphan boy named Tom who gets adopted by a family. They live in Newfoundland during the year 1829. While out at sea they rescue a large black dog who they name Thunder. Soon after an earthquake strikes and the little island they live on suffers much damage.

The story has a few plot points running through it. One is the uncertainty that Tom feels about his new family: do they really want him? I think this doubt he has is very realistic. The second plot point revolves around the dog: is Thunder's real owner going to take him away? The story also includes many dramatic moments, moments of life or death.

Now what truly makes this book special in my opinion is all of the unique words and customs that are scattered throughout the book. Like the murmurs. I had never heard of them before. And they are just one of the things mentioned. Newfoundland of the past really came alive thanks to these details.

The characters were very real too. Some were annoying, like Bert. The characters show many emotions including jealousy and revenge but they also learn from it too so you have good emotions as well. There are many children characters so they often do the zany crazy things kids are known to do.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book is Thunder From the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow. The genre of this book is realistic fiction because these events can happen in real life.

The book is mainly about a boy, Tom, and his dog, Thunder. Tom found Thunder in a thunderstorm out in the sea. Tom is from an orphanage and was adopted by a family, but Tom has to make a choice. When the dad’s wife gets pregnant, they have to decide to keep the dog or move or get rid of the dog. They didn’t want the dog so they decided to get rid of it. So Tom and Thunder had to run away because his family didn’t want the dog.

It is man vs. man because Tom is facing a problem, that he doesn't want to happen. Also he has problems with his family and enemies. The internal conflict is that he doesn’t want to get rid of Thunder. I liked the book because it has a lot of twists, and is very interesting.
It also fits the types of books I like. Which is realistic fiction, and books that involve animals. The audience that would enjoy this book is someone who likes cliff hangers, animals, and realistic fiction. It is also a good book for all ages. It's a great book to read!

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me personally, this book is a 1.5. But I can see its appeal to a new chapter book-reading elementary school student who is not so wise in the elements of fiction. The upcoming rising action sequences were heavily foreshadowed throughout, and Tom's worries about his place in the family have been included in dozens of other stories. The inclusion of Christian ideology and God was heavy-handed to me and did not flow into the story organically as just a part of who the characters are. The entire page about Lazarus stands out in particular. But I believe the biggest issue I have with the story is Harlow's inclusion of SO MUCH Newfoundland fishing village words without a glossary!! If this book is aimed at upper elementary school readers, how are they supposed to navigate spauge, smouchin, bullamarue, dotards, gommel..? And what about the mummers, both in terms of what the custom is all about, and the way they speak? That is not building an excitement about Canadian culture.

[Rebecca Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 11 of 2020. Tom is a young teenage orphan going to live with a new family. The Murrays try to make him feel welcome, but he’s struggling to fit in. Then, one day they find a dog struggling out in the sea and the dog and the boy become constant companions. This is not without turmoil though and trouble both man made and natural. Will Tom’s new home situation work out? Will he get to keep Thunder?

I read this one with my children. It’s a book I’ve never heard of before, but we found it at a library book sale and decided to give it a try. It’s surprisingly heart-warming, but at times veers into sentimentality and rigid moralism. Still, it’s an enjoyable book about about a dog and a boy both looking for a permanent home.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#bookstagram #books #middlegradebooks #theunreadshelfproject2020 #thunderfromthesea

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my absolute favorite books growing up and it holds up reading again now. This is a very wholesome book inspired by real stories woven together into a neat and satisfying read. This books has strong themes of family and the different ways families are created. There is quite a bit of Christian influence as well throughout the story. I usually don’t like when there are a lot of religious tones in a story but the way it is used in this story I don’t mind so much. It is used to help guide the main character morally and give people support in difficult times which I think are very good uses without feeling like you must believe the same things as the author or characters.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys stories about dogs, historical fiction, or found family. It is a very enjoyable and comforting read for all ages!

[Lucian Cecil · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 stars if I could! This was a reread, the book that fueled my love for reading! It was a very lighthearted book about family (Dogs/Thunder is family!) And love. The whole time while reading this i had a constant smile on my face! I loved how they as a family held Bible study, and referred to scriptures! whenever trouble would arise they would trust God's Will and tackle things as a family, with Thunder their Dog detecting threats/disasters!

Favorite Quote
"Things have a way of working themselves out, My dear. The scriptures say not to be anxious about tomorrow. Each day we'll put Thunder in God's hands and let go. Whatever happens is God's will. He loves you and wants you to be happy. We want you to be happy too."

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it interesting to contrast this with some of the horse books I've read lately. The horse books seem to focus on the growth of the relationship between the horse and the child. This did not do that at all. It was the story of an orphan boy trying to become part of a family. He rescues a dog who also becomes a member of the clan. The dog is a hero and a source of solace for the insecure boy. The relationships that are explored are those of the family and the community. A very interesting look at rural Newfoundland. I found the dialog a little forced at times. Maybe because I am unfamiliar with the dialect, but it just didn't feel natural to me and brought me out of the story at times.

[Riley Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thunder From the Sea is a great book for all ages. It may appear to be simple children’s novel, but it has a lot to tackle emotionally from natural disasters, a sense of belonging, and doing the right thing. All the characters are lovable, although some are pretty simple, and it’s well written. It has good characters, an interesting setting filled with historical tidbits, good morals, and good themes. If you’re a fan of found family, historical fiction, or just a good ol’ story about a boy and his dog, this story is right for you. I would know, I’ve read it 18 times since 3rd grade!

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teared up on multiple occasions reading this one!
I absolutely adored this story- so many great themes in here about forgiveness, found family, resilience, working together, overcoming obstacles, etc etc etc!

I loved how Tom navigated so many big feelings, and we get to see his inner and outer struggles! Having Thunder, the dog they find while out at sea, at the heart of this story, was really beautiful. I loved every bit, and the ending warmed my heart.

Highly recommend for grades 4-7.