Heatwave
by Lauren Redniss; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Random House Studio/Random 
40 pp.
5/24    9780593645949    $19.99
Library ed.  9780593645956    $22.99
e-book ed.  9780593645963    $10.99

Redniss’s assured, measured, and elegant meditation on life during our current environmental crisis begins during a record-breaking heatwave with a crystal-clear proclamation: “No way. Too hot.” The spare, evocative, and arguably unsettling text (“Try not to burn”) is contextualized by imagery of a family trying to cool off at a city beach. Equally accomplished, the illustrations feature elongated figures and loose continuity between each double-page spread. A thin, dark, wavering line is employed for both figures and austere backgrounds that mostly consist of high horizon lines topped by a jumble of building-like forms. Color plays a prominent role in the narrative, yet only two colors (other than black and white) are used—red and blue. Stretched across the entire spread, a singular flat red color is given texture, depth, and contrast. As the unbearably hot day continues, clouds form and a single blue raindrop dramatically pierces the all-red page. Two raindrops are precursors to a downpour, illustrated by bright blue vertical streaks that appear to vibrate down the page. As day turns to evening, the color blue eventually takes over the final spreads, suggesting relief from the sweltering heat—and perhaps a degree of hope for the residents of a steadily warming planet. Imbued with a fine-art aesthetic, this is an ambitious yet accessible work. An honest narrative of and for today, brilliantly told.

From the July/August 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.