The Great Weather Diviner: The Untold Origin of Punxsutawney Phil by Rob Long & Andrew Dolberg

 The Great Weather Diviner:  The Untold Origin of Punxsutawney Phil by Rob Long & Andrew Dolberg
Publisher:  Morgan James Kids
Format:  Paperback
Number of pages:   270 pages
Published:   November 7th, 2022
Source:  Books Forward

Opening Line:  "Chaos surrounded them."

With Groundhog's Day quickly approaching, what better way to celebrate than reading a retelling or reinterpretation of the famous weather prognosticator, Punxsutawney Phil.

The opening chapter of The Great Weather Diviner provides the historical context of the Halwe War (a legendary war in which seven animal guardians came to the aid of Erda saving the realm from the White Demon and his Revenants) in the way of a bedtime story told by Lord Phillip Rodington to his young groundhog son Junior.  Junior has always loved this story because his grandfather was the hero responsible for the ultimate demise of the White Demon by using the Sacred Gnomon, the families divining staff to pulverize him into ash.  Ever since that time, the Rodington's have held a place of prestige in Erda, with each elder becoming the mayor, responsible for the mine, and control over the weather.  One day Junior is to inherit it all.  

Then one day Erda experiences a torrential rainfall that causes serious flooding, chaos and destruction within the town.  Many villagers are displaced from their homes, with the mine being hit the worst, as many of the workers are trapped below.  Junior's father ventures out to comfort the town and miners, leading to Junior overhearing him telling two very different stories to the townies and delvers, attempting to placate them both.  Unhappy with the whole situation, Junior argues with his father, even calling him a liar.  Confused by why his father's skills as a diviner couldn't predict the oncoming storm, Junior becomes even more upset.  Later his mom explains that his father could've been safe at home but that he chose to go out and make sure people had food and shelter.  She emphasizes that all his father is doing is to protect the town.  Feeling remorseful and that maybe he jumped to conclusions, Junior begins to ponder what his grandfather would have done, and whether or not this is a time for the guardians to reappear and save their town again.  Hoping for answers, Junior ultimately decides to embark on a journey in search of the legendary guardians.  Along the way, Junior learns some hard truths about his family's weather divining abilities, his ancestors and that many of the legends he's been told are not as they seem.  

The Great Weather Diviner was pitched as a Redwall-inspired conservation fantasy.  Come on who could pass up on that description?  I do see twinges of Redwall and found it to be a really interesting fantasy that draws from nature, the art of storytelling, questioning what we've been told and the premise of whether someone can be a hero and a villain?  The perils of climate change, over resilience on coal mining and fossil fuels are emphasized, and the need for nature conservation and mechanisms for its protection are highlighted in the story.  There is even a list of animals that are extinct or near extinction, and the reasons why included at the back of the book, which really drives in the point that saving these animals is important.  It's a fast read and an interesting spin on the legendary tale of Groundhog Day.  It's thought provoking and would make an excellent read-aloud leading to discussions about living in harmony with nature.  The authors are even donating a portion of the proceeds toward Habitat for Humanity in the Greater Palm Beach area. 

**A huge thank you to Books Forward for the paperback book in exchange for an honest review.**