cover image Flood

Flood

Alvaro F. Villa. Capstone, $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-62370-001-0

The impact of a natural disaster on a family unfolds in wordless, digitally created spreads in this first book from Argentinean illustrator Villa. In a small house near an inland body of water, a mother and her two children enjoy leisure time in the living room; outside, however, the family's father glances skyward with concern. Dark clouds barrel toward the house on the following page, swallowing up the eerily yellow sky. With rosy cheeks and red noses, the family constructs a stone barrier around the house, secures the windows, and departs for a hotel. In ghostly sequences, the floodwaters invade the empty structure, tossing furniture and wrecking the lower levels. Upon the family's return, a moment of despair transitions quickly into productivity as they repair the damage. While the story's hopeful ending is reassuring, the rapidness and ease with which the house is rebuilt diminishes the impact of the storm somewhat. Nonetheless, the book is a useful resource for adults to use with children, especially given the damaging hurricanes in recent years. Ages 6%E2%80%938. (Feb.)