Javier and the Cone of Uncertainty
The Kids Under the Stairs series continues in this honest and hilarious novel-in-verse from award-winning author K.A. Holt. This fourth installment follows Javier—the artist, the quiet one, the funny one, the good friend—who finds himself on a collision course with a hurricane that shares his name.
Javier—or Javi—is the quiet, funny one in his friend group and an all-around easygoing guy who’s also an artist. But as his ever-present sketchbook reveals, he has a lot going on beneath that calm exterior. Adding even more to his swirling thoughts is the giant hurricane bearing down on his small Florida town—a giant hurricane that shares his name and is forecast to make landfall close to his thirteenth birthday!
As the hurricane gets closer, school is closed, and Javi and his mom have to hunker down at home. Everything starts to feel even more stormy when the power goes out and Javi’s teacher, Ms. J, brings her cat over so they can all wait out the storm together. Then, to make matters worse, it seems like his grandfather might be closer to the eye of the storm than he or his mom initially thought. This is not how he wanted to spend his birthday week! As the days stretch on and more and more of Javi’s comfortable norms are upended, he’ll have to face big changes and the big emotions that come with them.
Funny, wise, and moving, this riveting novel-in-verse celebrates friendship, family, and “divergent” thinking while also showing how you can find strength—and yourself—during the most uncertain of times.
K.A. Holt is the author of Rhyme Schemer, House Arrest, Knockout, and Redwood and Ponytail, along with several other books for young people. She lives in Austin, Texas, and is active within the vibrant Texas writing community.