In the breathtaking Island Storm, Caldecott Medalist Brian Floca (Locomotive; Hawk Rising) and Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Sydney Smith (I Talk Like a River; My Baba's Garden; Small in the City) tell the story of two siblings on an island who head to the shore to see a storm agitate the sea.
When they arrive, they take in the massive, billowing waves. A repeated refrain in the book underscores their adventurous spirit: "And then we ask, is this enough, or do we try for more? You pull on me, I pull on you, and we decide to go on." As the storm intensifies, the children flirt with danger. They take in their surroundings, now "eerie and empty." When a loud "BOOM!" breaks the silence, they "RUN!" through the rain, scared of losing their way. An adult, likely their parent, greets them: "Home to relief, and to love." But also "to trouble, too!" Though the children are met with a tight hug, there's an unspoken acknowledgment of the risks they took.
On one level, this is a simple adventure tale: two children outrun a storm. But it's one that holds many layers of meaning--this brush with danger is a test of resilience and captures the children's unwavering bond. Illustrator Sydney Smith depicts the storm's kinetic energy--its force and beauty--building tension through a striking watercolor and gouache palette: massive dark clouds loom over the island, later juxtaposed with clear blue skies as the storm recedes. A masterful blend of poetic language and dynamic illustration, this story delivers both an edge-of-your-seat adventure and a moving meditation on perseverance and the storms siblings weather together. --Julie Danielson