I Am the Storm

Starred review from August 15, 2020
Storms can be frightening, but they can also create memorable family times. Four children describe how they experienced a tornado, a blizzard, a wildfire, and a hurricane with comforting family members. Words and pictures work together to show joyful moments in what might be scary times. The children come from different parts of the country and may have different family structures, but their grown-ups are thoughtful and supportive. During a tornado, a brown-skinned family reads and plays games in the basement with their grandmother. An Asian-American family cooks on a campfire in the fireplace during a blizzard. White children camp with their dad in a field of wildflowers as a fire ranges beyond the mountains across a river. And Black children escape to their cousins' house and pretend to be in boats during a hurricane. Flashlights are evident. After each storm, a different pleasant activity is recounted--maybe even dancing. "It's okay to be scared," one narrator tells readers. "Nature is strong and powerful. / But, I am strong and powerful, too," adds another. This comforting title is part of a new line of picture books explicitly aimed at helping children feel capable and supported, and it does so perfectly. The repetitive storytelling shows that some things can be predictable amid the unpredictable. Aftermatter adds a paragraph of further information about each of the four storms. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 85.5% of actual size.) Child-centered, reassuring, and welcome. (Picture book. 3-7)

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