February 19, 2024
Readers can tell that the heat is on from the get-go in this climate-oriented picture book—its pages are deep red, against which the landscape and figures are rendered in spidery lines and grayscale tones. At the beach, folks droop hoping for a shred of respite. A child and a dog sit and swelter instead of chasing a ball, a newspaper front page reads “RECORD HEAT ACROSS GLOBE,” and minimal, staccato text (“100 degrees,// in the shade.// Try not to burn”) appears as enervated as the figures look. Then the rain arrives—at first, drop by blue drop, and then in striations and torrents that vanquish the red hues in favor of a cool, aqueous blue. As the people seek shelter, rain and moonrise give way to the blue-hued night’s temperatures and an individual’s preparations to sleep in the breeze of a fan. Redniss (Heatwave) eschews hard climate-change-related information in this spare work that aptly depicts the sensory experience of living amid one hot, hot planet’s various cycles. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8.
March 1, 2024
Extreme weather brings life to a halt. On a hot, steamy day in an urban environment where it's "100 degrees, // in the shade," a young person tries to beat the heat. After brutal temperatures force the cancellation of a basketball game, the unnamed protagonist, an adult caregiver, and their trusty dog go to the beach to get some relief. Not even shade from an umbrella or sunscreen with a high SPF can protect them from the sun's harsh rays. As the "wind picks up" and "clouds roll in," "one raindrop" turns to a "downpour," with relief in sight as day turns to night and the strong sun gives way to cool moonlight. Relying on a uniform color palette throughout, the mixed-media illustrations beautifully evoke the oppressive nature of summer in the city. For daytime scenes, Redniss uses a fiery red, while for nighttime scenes, she employs a cool deep blue. Bigger issues of global warming are captured in little details throughout, such as a newspaper headline trumpeting "record heat across globe" and a book on icebergs in the protagonist's bedroom. Redniss pairs her efficacious art with spare text. Human characters have elongated limbs and torsos, further capturing the sluggish vibe of a summer day. Characters' skin tones match the colors of the page. Intense summertime heat never looked this good. (Picture book. 4-8)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2024
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. Patrick Gall
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from June 21, 2024
PreS-Gr 2-School's out for summer and many families head to the beach to enjoy the sand and surf. What happens when it's just too hot to have any fun? In a dazzlingly original feat of graphic design, Redniss's second book for children tackles weather extremes by using deep red hues to express the hazards and health concerns of heatwaves, and blue hues of the relief of an unexpected downpour. A limited use of words and illustrations clearly convey how uncomfortable high temperatures are and how refreshing and essential rain is for everyone. Seen are people using fans, newspapers, sunglasses, sunscreen, and ice cream to keep cool. Redniss shows beachgoers using umbrellas for shade in the sun, to stay dry as possible in the rain, and struggling with them due to high winds. Finally, evening comes and the moon rises, the weather settles down, and it's time for a good night's sleep. VERDICT A wonderful gateway to discussions on weather and climate change that merges sensory elements with seasonal ones to bring the point home for young children.-Laura Ellis
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2024
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.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)