Blackout
Author and Illustrator: John RoccoRecommended for: Ages 4-8
Length: 40 pages
Story: Author and illustrator John Rocco lives in Brooklyn and has experienced his own New York blackouts. Who knew that a widespread electrical blackout could be so much fun. Blackout tells the story of a busy, "too busy" family and what happened to them and their friends and neighbors when the lights went out one night, cutting off access to the computer, the TV, the electric stove and more. First, it was a little scary but candles and flashlights helped. Up on the rooftop, they could see the stars, as well as people grilling, dancing and having fun.
When they went downstairs and outside, the ice cream cart lady was giving out free ice cream cones and a fireman had opened the fire hydrant so kids could cool off by running through the water. When the lights went back on, one of the children wasn't ready to go back to normal with everyone off doing their own thing with electronics so she turned off the lights and the family went on playing together by candlelight. Rocco's cartoon-like illustrations and his ability to create dark night illustrations that still show lots of detail are a joy.
Video: The entertaining Blackout book trailer goes back and forth between interviews with people about their experiences in the blackout in August of 2003 and related illustrations from the picture book.
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Disney · Hyperion Books, An Imprint of Disney Book Group
ISBN: 9781423121909
Cost: Compare prices.
