Rain Town 2

Written by Andy Donaldson Great adventure story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Published by Matador (22 Feb. 2022) Genre Children's Books, Action & Adventure Pages 208 ISBN-10 1803130784 ISBN-13 978-1803130781 ASIN B09SG8MY4S For children aged 9 - 14 years

Today I am delighted to welcome back to my blog Teacher by Day and Indie Author by Night, Andy Donaldson.

Having previously read and enjoyed Andy's debut middle grade novel Rain Town, I was thrilled to see that the sequel is now available. And, of course, I must first of all thank Andy for a sending me a free paperback copy to review.

There's a short interview with Andy after my review.

The blurb:

Dark skies loom large over Shigbeth Town and brave, valiant heroes have never been more needed. In this sequel to ‘Rain Town’, the three unlikely and comically ordinary heroes of the Shigbeth Justice League unite again to fight a criminal bringing misery to the local neighbourhood. Delivery van driver and single Dad, Sidney Rain once again dons his wellies, cape, and bird mask to become the nocturnal crime fighting ‘Raven’ enlisting the help of his two best friends to join forces and keep the local community safe from harm. Meanwhile, his son Stanley and his friends join together to stop the evil Hardy Brothers, Reggie and Ronnie and bring their reign of terror at school to an end. The boys and girls are back in town.

Rain Town 2: Return of the Raven is a thrilling and hilarious adventure story with unforgettable characters which will make children and their parents laugh out loud throughout. At the same time, it also touches on moral issues and friendships in everyday life; something that will be memorable for readers rather than be forgotten as soon as it is put down.

Action    Adventure    Children's Books

My thoughts:

Having enjoyed Rain Town, the first in this series, so much when I read it back in 2019, I was delighted to find that the next instalment had been published, and I could catch up with the shenanigans of the Shigbeth Justice League, and school friends Stanley, Chloe and Billy.

Rain Town 2 will definitely appeal to middle grade readers upwards; and whilst it could be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting with Rain Town to gain a better understanding of the characters and their eccentricities.

Told in the third person, Rain Town 2 is a humorous, action and adventure story aimed at middle grade (Key Stage 2) readers.

This story begins with the inept members of the Shigbeth Justice League out on patrol. They find and tackle a burglar in their own inimitable way, then return to their homes unseen. There has been a spate of burglaries in the area, and one unlucky recipient of an uninvited guest in the night is Chloe’s mum, Stephanie Scott. The police have so far not been able to apprehend the night thief for lack of evidence. Detective Charlie Green is determined to catch the burglar, and is driving around in his own time, hoping to cross paths with the miscreant. Sidney Rain masquerading as ‘The Raven’ is also looking for the burglar. He has a source of information – Calvin, a homeless man who moves unnoticed in the world.

Meantime, new arrivals at Shigbeth School, Reggie and Ronnie Hardy, are terrorising everyone, including teachers. Their father is the inconsiderate and contemptuous driver who has been parking his car in the forbidden parking zone at the school entrance. Chloe Scott determines that something has to be done about the Hardy brothers and Stanley asks his father for help.

I found this story every bit as funny as the last, although the description of Ronnie Hardy finding and disposing of a bogey had me retching rather than laughing. Some of the characters have matured slightly since our first meeting. Due to her plight, I found Mrs Scott to be a more sympathetic character. Billy Bathurst still claims to be a spy and go on outlandish missions and training exercises outside of school hours, and I find him rather endearing. Stanley Rain is beginning to realise that his relationship with Chloe is evolving into something new. Well-regarded by her peers, Chloe remains the strong female lead who abhors bullying and injustice, and makes a stand against the Hardy brothers.

I found Rain Town 2 to be entertaining, well-written, and funny on a level that will definitely appeal to its intended audience. It's good to see the villains finally come off second best!

Purchase from:

Amazon UK   Amazon US    Amazon CA   Amazon AU   Amazon IN

Waterstones   Foyles   WH Smith

Barnes & Noble

Interview with the Author ~ Andy Donaldson ~ Thank you, Andy, for taking the time once again to join me here on my blog. I thoroughly enjoyed Rain Town 2 and really hope there will be another book in this series. How do you find the motivation to write? Like many parents, I used to love reading to my children at bedtime. As we read more and more books, I just found that a lot of the stories weren’t making us laugh as much as we wanted to and they didn’t seem to connect with ordinary lives and characters. So, I thought I would have a go myself. Where did you find the inspiration for your books? Some of the characters are loosely based on people that I have known. I suppose the character of Sidney is a little reminiscent of my Grandfather. That’s who he is named after. Television comedy is also in there as an inspiration. Sid is also part Del Boy from Only Fools & Horses. Can we expect more adventures from Sidney and Stanley? If I ever get the time, then I might write the third in the series. I’ve got some ideas and some new characters. Some of these characters have come up from ideas that children have had while I have visited schools. We are likely to get new members of the Shigbeth Justice League next time out! Why have you chosen to write for children and young people? It was easier. I spend my days with them and so I hoped I knew what might make them laugh and the sort of things they care about. Would you ever write a novel for older readers? I have done. Decades ago. Maybe one day I will write another but you need so much time to write a book. It has to be rewritten so many times and so carefully crafted for it all to work. Both Rain Town books have taken years because teaching takes up so much of your time outside of school. Maybe when I retire? My favourite book as a child was…. The Two Towers by Tolkien. I went on the journey with them as a kid. It felt like I was reading something epic and important. My favourite classic is…. I have been trying to read one a month for a while now as they passed me by when I was younger. In the last couple of years, I have read classics by Steinbeck, Orwell, Hemmingway, Austen, Bronte. Picking a favourite is difficult (perhaps The Grapes of Wrath?) Some of them I didn’t necessarily enjoy but that’s not the point; I just felt that I needed to read them. I’ve got Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment to start next… My all-time favourite book is…. 1984 by George Orwell. So many reasons why and it is probably an obvious choice for someone who teaches History & Politics. A close second is Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.

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Author Bio – Andy Donaldson
Teacher by day, writer by night. Author of two books 'Rain Town' and 'Rain Town 2; the Return of the Raven." Hilarious and touching spins on the lives of 3 ordinary men who become nocturnal superheroes to save their community and 3 extraordinary children whose friendship serves to save their school. Sometimes heroes wear capes.

Other stories I've read by Andy Donaldson

Social Media Links –
Twitter	@AndyRainTown
Facebook	Andy Donaldson
Goodreads	Andy Donaldson

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