The illustrations give the book a dried-out feel. The background for the frames is a tan and the pictures in the frames are done in shades of gray, white and brown. A dust cloud invades every picture, which adds to the desperate feeling of the story. Once Jack goes into the barn, the color tone changes; there are splashes of blue and the gray becomes more blue-gray. These tones are carried to the world outside the barn once the storm spreads over the land.
In the author’s note, Phelan says he wants a story set during the Dust Bowl but with a fantastical element. He succeeds in this goal. The story feels dusty until the relief of the rain comes. The storm in the barn is a tall, imposing figure. This figure almost looks like the Grim Reaper; his face is unclear and he is wearing a dark, flowing robe. The storm’s fingers are long and claw-like. Clearly, this storm is an imposing figure. Jack has to work up his courage to face down the storm. He does so because he wants to do something helpful and prove his worth. The Storm in the Barn is a short coming-of-age story set in a desperate time for farm families in Kansas.
The Storm in the Barn won the 2010 Scott O’Dell Award for historical fiction. It is the first graphic novel to have won this award. I would recommend this book for readers over 9. The personification of the storm may be more difficult for younger readers to follow.
Phelan, Matt. The Storm in the Barn. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2009. Print.
