Stylized illustrations and a spare, emotionally honest narrative combine to tell the story of a white family comprised of three kids and their dad who are housebound for days on end during a storm. “It was unlike any storm we’d ever seen. No one knew how long it would last.” At first they’re bored; eventually tempers fray. “Is it possible for a family to run out of nice things to say?” Each family member wants to be alone rather than deal with the conflict. But on a night when a nearby lightning strike knocks out the power, everyone ends up in Dad’s bed. “We all said we were sorry.” In the morning the storm is still going on outside, but something has changed inside. When anger rises it’s only fleeting; every day inside the house improves. Finally, the weather outside improves, too, as the storm comes to an end. A picture book featuring a literal storm is an obvious and effective metaphor for the pandemic lockdown and isolation but also reflects other situations causing stress, intense feelings (that aren’t always definable), and unwanted change (a close reading of the illustrations suggests the relatively recent loss of a mom). (Ages 4-8)

A New York Times 2021 Best Children's Book

This heartwarming family story from acclaimed author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino features a father and his kids who are stuck inside the house together — and figure out how to connect and overcome conflict.

No one knew where the strange storm came from, or why it lasted so long. The family at the center of this timely story has to hunker down together, with no going outside - and that's hard when there's absolutely nothing to do, and everyone's getting on everyone else's nerves.

This classic in the making will lift hearts with its optimistic vision of a family figuring out how to love and support one another, even when it seems impossible.