Skip to main content

I Am the Storm

 


I am the Storm 
By Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple 
Art by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell 
Rise, An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2020. Picture Book. 

Last week I decided to highlight a picture book that filled me with hope and all the good emotions that I need due to such a crazy time. This week I want to talk about a picture book that is also appropriate for the craziness that is 2020 but for entirely different reasons. 

In this book there are four families who are dealing with four types of storms. There is a family facing a tornado, a blizzard, a wildfire, and hurricane. In each of these instances there are kids who have to hunker down or leave their homes to find a safer place to wait out what is happening. But the universal theme is that even though storms are strong, we as kids or humans can be stronger. We can be fierce and ā€œitā€™s okay to be scared.ā€ But also remember that just like how storms all end, we can be the ā€œcalmā€ after a storm too. 

Seriously, this is a powerhouse of a book and a concept. The idea that a child can be as strongā€”if not strongerā€”than a storm is important. Especially with all the craziness and uncertainty that 2020 has thrown at all of humanity. Give this book to any reader that needs to know it is okay to be strong, fierce, wild, loud, hot, or scared. And then remind them that they can also be the equally powerful emotion of calm as well. Well done. Well done. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

If You Like...Ladybugs

Spring is almost upon us! We'll have more rain instead of snow, flowers will start blooming, and more bugs will be out. Ladybugs are some of the prettiest insects--and the least intimidating for those more wary of bugs. If you like ladybugs, check out these books! Ladybugs Do Not Go to Preschool Written by Ali Rutstein Illustrated by NinĢ‹a Nill Richmond, VA: Bright Light, 2024. Picture Book. Ravi loves ladybugs--he eats aphids instead of cornflakes for breakfast, brushes his mandibles instead of teeth, and has a ladybug costume complete with wings and antennae. He is certain that ladybugs don't have to go to preschool, and when Mom says that Ravi still has to go to school, he is nervous. However, thanks to Mom's patience and gentle encouragement, Ravi makes some new friends and realizes that preschool might be a good place for ladybugs after all. A Perfect Spot By Isabelle Simler Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book. A ladybug is ready to ...

You Need to Read: Percy Jackson

I was a kid myself when  The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan was published, and it didn't take long for the Percy Jackson series to take the world by storm. Being the son of a Poseidon, Percy Jackson has some unique challenges as a half-blood. Here's some books that I think could've helped Percy when he was on his adventures trying to save the world: Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians Written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes Illustrated by Javier Espila Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2024. Informational. 191 pages. Percy, I know Chiron did a good job teaching you about mythology in Latin class, but this book is sure to be good to have on hand while you're traveling across the United States. Greeking Out  is written in a kid-friendly voice with vivid illustrations and a sometimes-snarky tone (much like Percy himself). It also presents real-life creatures and places along with the information about Greek mythology. The Homework Squad's ADHD Guide to School S...