Two white siblings dare to venture outdoors as a storm approaches their island. Wearing jackets and rain boots, they head through the woods to the cove. The weather is mild, but they “feel the wind growing. It booms in our ears…” and churns up waves that break spectacularly against the shore. “And then we ask, is this enough, or do we try for more? You pull on me, I pull on you, and we decide to go on.” This is the book’s refrain, a mutual sense of risky adventure as the siblings take each other’s hands and walk further from home. No warning from a neighbor, no boarded-up window, no shuttered grocery store will curb their sense of daring. “Our town is eerie and empty—a stage without its show.” They pass what are clearly familiar sights: an old military bunker, the lighthouse, the park and ice cream parlor, until… “Did you hear that? / What? / That! / Yes! / BOOM! / RUN!” The children race home at an exhilarating sprint as the downpour begins. Home, where relief and love, safety and dinner (and trouble) await. Home, where they will ride out the storm overnight and wake to a gentle dawn. An impeccable combination of descriptive text and moody, painted illustrations creates an atmospheric, immersive reading experience; the sense of ever-approaching danger is beautifully tempered by the ending’s palpable sense of relief. Highly Commended, 2026 Charlotte Zolotow Award

In Caldecott Medalist Brian Floca and acclaimed illustrator Sydney Smith’s thrilling picture book, young readers will experience the sheer power of a violent thunderstorm and the calm of its aftermath.

Can you tell when a storm is coming? Can you feel the wind coming and growing? Do you hear the branches bouncing together, hear the whispers of the wind through the leaves?

Join in the journey as two siblings bear witness to the steady start, thrilling apex, and gentle end of this island storm. They’ll shelter soon, but first they want to feel it all.

Sydney Smith is the winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children's books, and his illustrations are fantastically textured and visually spectacular. Paired with Brian Floca’s eloquent, rhythmic text, Island Storm is a multi-sensory experience that will amaze and delight readers. Children who fear thunder can take comfort in seeing it captured in the pages, while those who relish watching the sky crack open can enjoy battling this storm from the comfort of their homes.