Our Roof Is Blue

Two Puerto Rican siblings find their footing after a hurricane removes their home’s roof in Echenique’s reassuring picture book debut. An unnamed narrator describes their nightly ritual before the storm: falling asleep while brother Antonio “told me magical stories.” As the hurricane approaches, the two test flashlights and lanterns, “just in case,” and the family prepares “for anything that could blow our way.” When it hits, though, and rain comes in beneath the doors, they retreat to a closet, later discovering that “the storm had blown our white-gray roof right off.” While the family stays with relatives for a few days, then covers the roof with a temporary blue tarp, Antonio stops speaking. The narrator promises to help find his voice as the two launch into flights of fancy, and a new roof provides an opportunity to acknowledge the event. Vargas’s digital illustrations amplify childhood emotions with lightning bolt, swirl, and star motifs. Back matter ties hurricanes and climate change to simple adoptable actions. Ages 5–8. (Apr.)