In the breathtaking Island Storm, Caldecott Medalist Brian Floca (Locomotive) and Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Sydney Smith (I Talk Like a River) tell the story of two siblings on an island who head to the shore to see a storm agitate the sea. As the storm intensifies, the children flirt with danger.
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 novel delivers both an edge-of-your-seat adventure and a moving meditation on perseverance and the storms siblings weather together. --Julie Danielson