The Weather Kids

Synopsis…

Meet Linzi Lightning (USA), Tommy Thunder (Australia), Rebecca Rain (UK), Sofia Snow (Russia), Sami Sunshine (Brazil) and Wu-shi Wind (China).The Weather Kids are granted superpowers over the weather by the Weather God but only when they help people and the planet. They have a special meeting place in the sky called Cloud Nine and travel on the Rainbow Superhighway to right wrongs in their own world or in other worlds and dimensions trying to get into ours and cause trouble.

They battle against villains such as Doctor Vile, the Wicked Weather Witch and Old Father Grime (just a few of the nasties).

LATEST BOOK IN SERIES:

The Weather Kids and the Rainbow Superhighway

(or how they got their superpowers – and what happened next)

Linzi, Tommy, Rebecca, Sofia, Sami and Wu-Shi meet when their scientists parents are at an international climate change conference. They see a strange man stealing something from the secret Climate Change laboratory. They find themselves trapped inside as fantastic storm start to rage. That's when the Weather God appears and tells them they have been chosen. They are taken to their new headquarters inside Cloud Nine travelling along the Rainbow Superhighway. They foil the terrible Doctor Vile who has created a thirty foot monster from garbage, junk and landfill waste who is threatening a school full of young children.

OTHER BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR

‘Linzi Lightning saves New York’

Linzi Lightning does battle with Old Father Grime who threatens to bury New York in black soot and fog.

‘Sami Sunshine wins The World Cup’

When a top Brazilian footballer is kidnapped before the World Cup semi-final against England Sami Sunshine tracks him down underground and transports him to the ground on a sunbeam.

‘Sofia Snow and the Wicked Weather Witch’

The Wicked Weather Witch attempts to steal gold from the Bank of Russia by freezing Moscow solid and using a solar-powered broomstick. But she cannot freeze Sofia Snow.

Excerpt...

CHAPTER ONE

THE CLIMATE CHANGE THIEF

The tall, friendly PR lady who worked for the International Climate Change Institute gazed at the six children slouching around the futuristic reception area and sighed. 

   What were their parents thinking of bringing them here? 

   The adults were scientists from different parts of the world attending an important international conference and they had brought their kids along for the ride. 

   She knew that the families were planning to have various holidays once the conference was over in a couple of days. Meanwhile, she had to keep the kids amused somehow.

   Some of them were slyly watching each other while pretending to look around the huge entrance space of glass and steel. Others were sending texts madly, eyes glued to their mobile cell phones. The PR lady walked over to them with a big smile.

   “Okay, you guys,” she said cheerily. “Your parents are going to be busy for the rest of the day. So we need to find things for you to do. How many of you are interested in climate change?”

   The Russian girl and the Chinese boy put up their hands. The other four stared at her with bored expressions. 

   The PR lady tried harder. “Why don’t we break the ice? How about you introduce yourselves and then I’ll tell you all about the amazing science we have going on here.”

   The children seemed aghast at this idea and looked at each other not wanting to be the first to speak.

  “Come on, kids, you do want to find out how you can save the planet, don’t you?”

   This seemed to work. One of the boys, a fair-haired lad, finally spoke. “G’day, I’m Tommy and I’m from Sydney, Australia. I didn’t really want to come. I could be skin surfing right now. Okay?”

   A pale-faced blonde girl, who was tall and athletic looking, was next. “I’m Sofia and I am from Moscow. I wanted to come. I am interested in my mother’s research.”

   “Hi, I’m Linzi and I live in New York,” announced a freckly girl with a funny grin. “I’m kinda interested, you know. I think we should all recycle and I don’t want to see animals being hurt and stuff. So, I’m happy to have a look around. My dad’s promised we can go to the beach when all this is over.”

   A good-looking, olive skinned boy with a laid-back expression was next to introduce himself. “I’m Sami. I’m from Rio. That’s in Brazil. My father said it would do me good to come here but I’d rather be playing football on the beach. But I’m cool about it, you know?”

  One reserved, dark haired girl seemed reluctant to say anything but once the others had spoken she joined in. “My name is Rebecca. I’m from London and my father is Chief Scientist. I think we should be doing all we can to save the world and stop polluting it. I’m glad to be here.”

   Finally, the last to speak was the shy looking oriental boy. He bowed to the others. “Hello. I am Wu-shi. I am from Beijing in China. I believe we all must stop the climate changing but I do not know how.”

   The PR lady was pleased. “That’s a lot better, isn’t it? We’re all going to get along just fine. You can tell each other all about the countries you come from as I take you to the long gallery. I think you’ll find that really interesting. Okay then, follow me.”

   She led the way across the vast floor of the entrance hall and the children followed. Instead of trudging silently in a line they began to talk to each other.

   “Must be pretty cold in Moscow,” said Tommy to Sofia. “Not like Oz.”

   “Yes, but at least we have less risk of skin cancer. Aren’t you worried about it?”

   Tommy gave her a wide-open grin “Nah! My dad makes me put on a massive high factor sun cream. And I wear a wet suit most of time. Do you really wear those furry hats in Russia?”

   Sofia smiled. “Sometimes. Doesn’t your mother also worry about too much sunbathing?”

   “I haven’t got one. A mother, I mean. I used to have one but they got divorced when I was three.”

   Linzi was walking alongside Wu-Shi. “My dad’s been to China,” she told him. ‘You’ve got a lot of pollution there, haven’t you?”

   “Mainly in Beijing. It is bad sometimes. But soon China will be the greenest country in the world.”

   Linzi looked surprised.

   Sami and Rebecca were walking side-by-side behind.  Sami gave her a dazzling smile but Rebecca seemed a little aloof and reserved. “Do you like football?” he asked her.

   Rebecca looked appalled. “Certainly not,” she said firmly. “It’s just a lot of boys running around chasing a ball.”

   “You haven’t seen Brazil play, have you? It’s like dancing the samba.” Sami shuffled some quick dance steps. 

   “I don’t dance,” said Rebecca.

   Sami beamed. “Maybe I teach you one day, eh?”

   Rebecca looked even more appalled.

The PR lady led the children, now chattering together happily, along a white corridor with lots of closed doors with names on them. They turned a corner and walked along another long corridor. 

   At the far end a man appeared and looked back at them. He was tall and thin and wore a white coat. As soon as he saw them he hunched his shoulders and pulled up his collar. Under his arm he carried a strange box. Then he started to scurry along away from them like a supercharged spider. He pushed open some double doors and disappeared.

   “Hey, he looks suspicious,” said Linzi to the PR lady. “Is he a scientist?”

   The PR lady looked worried. “I don’t recognise him,” she said and she pulled out a mobile intercom unit and started to whisper into it.

   “Why don’t we go after him?” said Tommy. “Maybe he’s stealing secrets.”

   “He came out of that door at the end,” observed Sofia.

  “That’s the Extreme Weather Test Chamber,” the PR lady told them. “Access is restricted. You won’t be able to go in, I’m afraid. There is some very special equipment in there.”

   “How did he get in then?” asked Rebecca.

   The PR lady did not reply but she looked even more concerned. There was crackle from her mobile and she walked several paces away from the children to answer it.

   Sami smiled at Wu-shi and said in a laid back whisper. “I don’t like being told not to go somewhere.”
   Wu-shi nodded. “Something in there is interesting. I think we should take a look maybe.”

  The PR lady finished her conversation and turned to them. “Right, come along then. Not far to go.”

   They carried on along the corridor until they came to the Extreme Weather Test Chamber. The big red doors were sealed shut and there was a large sign:

   SELF-LOCKING DOOR – STRICTLY AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY 

   At the side of the door was a small keypad. All the children paused to stare at the chamber entrance. Wu-Shi showed particular interest in the security system.

   “What happens in there?” Linzi wanted to know.

   “We can create any kind of weather we like,” said the PR lady. “We learn how weather patterns form and how to predict hurricanes, tornados and floods.”

   “So you can control the weather?” asked Sofia.

   “No, we can’t do that,” the PR lady replied. “But sometimes we can control the conditions that lead to catastrophes. The more we learn the more we can warn people and save lives.”

   “So you don’t know who that man was who came out of there?” Rebecca had a knack of asking awkward questions.

   “I am sure he was authorised,” said the PR lady unconvincingly. “There is nothing for you to worry about. Ah! Here we are. If you all turn right with me we are entering the main Climate Science Gallery.”

   The children followed the PR lady through a pair of automatic doors that shooshed gently open and walked into an enormous, glass-roofed area the size of an aircraft hangar.

  “Wow!” breathed Tommy. “This place is enormous.”

   They all stopped and gazed around them at the interactive displays; the models, the wind tunnels, the palm tree fringed beach sets, the floating dirigible weather balloons, the snow machines and hundreds of other exhibits and scientific instruments.

   “Why don’t you wander around as you feel like it,” said the PR lady. “There are lots of hands-on displays and games. I’ve just got to go for a while but when I get back I’ll give you a proper tour. If you need me there is a telephone on the wall over there. Just dial double zero.”

   With that she hurried down the gallery towards a door at the side with her mobile intercom clamped to her ear.