The Secrets of the Storm Vortex by Anne Cameron

The funny, fast-paced third book in The Lightning Catcher series! Part Storm Chasers and part The 39 Clues, this school adventure story about twelve-year-old Angus McFangus and his dangerous gift for predicting catastrophic weather combines science, weather, and the fantastical.

Angus McFangus and his two best friends, Indigo Midnight and Dougal Dewsnap, are starting their second year at the Perilous Exploratorium for Violent Weather and Vicious Storms, where they are being trained to study and, eventually, become lightning catchers and manage the world's most dangerous weather. They have more than lessons on their minds, however—namely, the fate of Angus's parents, who have been kidnapped by the villain Scabious Dankhart. Angus's parents are kept prisoner in Castle Dankhart, where a violent weather explosion has created a "storm vortex" so that no one can tell what is going on inside. It's Angus, Indigo, and Dougal to the rescue. . . . Will they get there in time and all in one piece? Action-packed, lighthearted, and perfect for reluctant readers!