Higher Ground, an innovative children's graphic novel by Tull Suwannakit (illustrator of Sad, the Dog), is a moving account of a family relying on each other and a bit of hope in the face of a natural disaster.
A "frail and weak" grandma, her two grandchildren, and their pet rabbit are unable to evacuate before an unprecedented storm, so they take refuge in a shed on their building's rooftop. The next morning, the "Great Flood" has ravaged their city and all they see is "water all around."
This cli-fi story's depiction of adaptation, the importance of family, and overcoming adversity is affecting and delivered in an uncommon format: Suwannakit combines elements of picture books, journals, and graphic novels in a multilayered design. Stunning, dynamic watercolor, graphite, acrylic, and gouache illustrations bolster sparse text, and bird's-eye-view depictions of the journal pages provide facts and instructions readers can return to repeatedly. This captivating work is both a warning about the effects of climate change and a reflection on the power of resilience and hope in the face of disaster. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader