Tsunami!

The picture book Tsunami! is the dramatic story of a tsunami and how one man's sacrifice saves all of the people in a Japanese village threatened by the giant waves. Both the story by by Kimiko Kajikawa and the striking artwork by Ed Young are strong enough to stand alone, but together, they create a memorable experience for the reader. Ed Young's striking illustrations, created in gouache, pastel and collage, are full of movement and drama. Ed Young's picture book Wabi Sabi, by Mark Reibstein, is on my list of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008 while Tsunami! is on my Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2009. I recommend Tsunami! for children six and older, as well as teens and adults.

(Cover art courtesy of Penguin)