Storm

January 27, 2014
Napoli (Skin) draws from the story of Noah's Ark in this account of a Canaanite girl, Sebah, with a big problem: rain, which sweeps away her family, home, and the ground beneath her feet. Sebah and a boy named Aban climb a tree to survive, but soon they must abandon that refuge and set out on a raft across the ever-rising sea. That's when they see an enormous ark floating above themâbut only Sebah is strong enough to climb aboard. Despite the novel's biblical origins, it's light on religion. Sebah's prayers (to Ba'al) are rare, and she's more concerned with hiding from Noah's irritable family than with the Mighty Creator that gives Noah instructions. Sebah bonds more readily with the easygoing bonobos who let her share their cage than the humans twisting themselves into knots to follow the rules of a baffling God. Her own survival, always, is paramount. Napoli's focus on Sebah's immediate circumstances allows her to grow organically as a character, bringing a satisfying realism to this familiar story. Ages 14âup. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

February 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-This guttural rendition of Noah's Ark becomes an intriguing piece of historical fiction in the hands of master storyteller Napoli. Sebah, the daughter of a Canaanite farmer in the third millennium BCE, is swept up into the devastating flood, first surviving on a small peak and then a raft before stowing away on the ark. Sweeping the reader directly into an action-packed story, the book begins on "Day 1" and continues through the 40 days of rain and the 330 days of receding water. The first person present tense and gritty survival story will resonate with fans of The Hunger Games, but Napoli packs deeper themes into the murky depths of this tale. The reader comes to know Sebah quite intimately, and the author creates a wonderfully immersive experience. The chapter titles sometimes indicate a range of days, while the action continues in a present tense, producing an awkward sense of pacing. Napoli includes the critical aspects of Noah's and Sebah's different faiths while sidestepping discussion of religion. The extensive author's note, time line of biblical verses, and bibliography in the back support the tale's foundation. Storm features frank but inexplicit discussions of sex, rape, and childbirth. Despite the radically different culture and unique circumstances, teens will connect with this remarkably courageous girl in her primal fight for family and survival.-Erin Reilly-Sanders, Ohio State University, Columbus

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 Young, newly pregnant Sebah manages to survive the great flood on a small raft before she bumps into Noah's humongous ark. Crawling into a porthole for safety, she finds herself in a cage with a pair of bonobos who care for her and hide her from Noah and his family. While trapped aboard, Sebah feels the despair of a ruined world and the stir-craziness of confinement right along with all the animals, with whom she deeply empathizes. But in the midst of the hopelessness of the deluge, Sebah also delights in the playfulness of her animal friends and the affections of a handsome fellow stowaway, and she resolves to look forward to the future, despite the grief for the life she left behind. Napoli (Skin, 2013) draws from the book of Genesis for a basic outline, but she takes ample liberties with the rest of the story, presenting an obstinate, guilt-ridden Noah and an angry family resentful over their wretched circumstances, all through the eyes of a clever, headstrong young girl who learns to thrive on hope.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)