Children’s Picture Book Review – Numenia and the Hurricane
NUMENIA AND THE HURRICANE:
Inspired by a True Migration Story
Written and illustrated by Fiona Halliday
(Page Street Kids; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
★Starred Review – School Library Journal
From the moment you open this beautiful picture book and see the textures and tones of the end pages, you know you are in for a treat! Written in expressive rhyme, Numenia and the Hurricane by Fiona Halliday tells the harrowing story of a young whimbrel (a large and elegant northern shorebird) named Numenia, who becomes separated from her two siblings and the other migrating birds when a powerful hurricane rips her away from them. The detour leaves Numenia weak, tired and lost, but she manages, with the help of a kind stranger and strong instincts, to literally weather the storm and reunite with her family.
Fiona’s artwork is graphic, stylized and bursting with layers and texture. Her treatment of the birds is so delicate that it makes you want to reach into the paintings and feel their feathers. The color palette shifts as Numenia’s journey—both emotional and external—progresses, from the pale and stormy blues of the skies at the beginning to the rich yellows and greens of her final destination. The juxtaposition of soft and sharp edges along with bold shapes, fine details, and great use of perspective makes each page a visual delight.
In the back matter readers will find the true story which inspired the book. Between 2009 and 2011 scientists from the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary tracked whimbrels in order to learn about their migration. In 2011 scientists witnessed a bird called “Hope” fight her way her way through a dangerous storm for 27 hours, non-stop, and survive. Fiona Halliday recounts the event as a beautiful tale of courage, strength, persistence and joy. Her poetic language combined with her stunning illustrations will inspire children to revisit this book again and again.
- Guest Review by Molly Ruttan
Visit the publisher, Page Street Kids, website here.
Read about guest reviewer Molly Ruttan here.