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: "We feel the wind blowing, we feel the wind growing."
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 and follows them back home across the island, 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 in "shadows too deep for the day." An adult, likely their parent, greets them: "Home to relief, and to love." But also "to trouble, too!" Though they are met with a tight hug, there's an unspoken acknowledgment of the risks they took. The storm subsides, and "night gives way to dawn."
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--perhaps the kind of resilience the siblings have had to summon before--and captures the unwavering bond between them. The repeated refrain reminds readers they navigate challenges together.
Floca fills the text with sensory details: "We take the gravel road that leads down to the cove, a crunch with every step." His writing is imbued with a gentle rhythm, internal rhymes, and alliteration. It's a text that begs to be read aloud: "We stand on stones that lie like great bones, weathered and worn by water and time...."
Illustrator Sydney Smith captures the storm's kinetic energy--its force and beauty--as if the waves themselves are moving across the pages. He builds 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. Double-page spreads feature horizontal illustrative vignettes with text between the images, accelerating the action and emphasizing the children's movement across the island and their urgent return home.
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
Shelf Talker: With its rhythmic prose and stunning illustrations, this story of two siblings braving a storm is an exhilarating adventure that beautifully explores the quiet power of perseverance.