As this evocative picture book begins, a little boy is excited about a trip to the beach with his parents planned for the following day. But a bad storm is coming, and he has started to worry they won't be able to go. He watches as the sky grows darker through the afternoon. His mother and father close the shutters and bring the potted plants indoors. Then the storm arrives. “All through dinner, the rain beats hard against the shutters. The wind howls and blows,” the boy says. “I try not to be scared.” At bedtime, he thinks, “I wish I had a ship with big propellers that would spin stronger winds to drive the storm away.” While asleep, his wish becomes his dream, and he manages to blow away the dark clouds with his imaginary vessel. Then, to his delight, when he awakens, he finds his dream of clear blue skies has come true. Author and illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi uses spare text and black-and-white drawings to echo the tension and uncertainty a child feels when encountering severe weather. The boy knows he is safe, yet danger is near. When he faces his fear in his dream, he becomes empowered by having conquered it. This is a perfect book for a quiet storytime on a rainy day. It would also work for launching conversations about fears, particularly those that are nature related, or as the impetus for children's own imaginary stories of how they could be courageous and save the day. K-Gr 3—It is Friday, and a young boy is excited about the beach trip he has planned with his parents for Saturday. His teacher, however, has warned that there is a bad storm coming. The child is not happy, as he has been greatly looking forward to this trip and will be disappointed if it is cancelled. As his parents prepare their home for the impending storm, the sky begins to darken. By dinnertime, the rain is pounding and the boy tries to be brave. He uses his imagination to dream of a large ship that would create winds to blow away the storm. His positive thoughts get him through the stormy night, and by morning, the sky is bright, just perfect for a trip to the beach. The delicately exquisite black-and-white drawings perfectly set the mood. There is an air of uncertainty and impending trouble that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The text is minimal, allowing the artwork to do most of the storytelling. One splash of blue appears at the end of the book, which symbolizes hope, renewal, and a happy ending. VERDICT An excellent addition to most collections.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE Atmospheric and engaging; this Japanese import is a perfect rainy-day read.― Kirkus Reviews, starred review The first-person narration is direct and spare, with all the emotion in the art, and figures are effectively shadowy and never fully realized.― Booklist An excellent addition to most collections.― School Library Journal It's perfect storytime reading for a dark and stormy night ...― The Globe and Mail Akiko Miyakoshi was born in Saitama, on the island of Honshu in Japan. She began creating picture books while studying visual communication design at Musashino Art University. Her first picture book, The Storm, won the Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix. Akiko Miyakoshi was born in Saitama, on the island of Honshu in Japan. She began creating picture books while studying visual communication design at Musashino Art University. Her first picture book, The Storm, won the Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.