THE STORM RIDERS

In this picture book, a young girl sails stormy seas in a metaphorical search for mindfulness.

Blond, pigtailed Lilibet is a White superhero who has not yet discovered her powers—which she hopes to find on a journey with friends Capt. Hippo and Benjamin the rabbit. Watercolors emphasize a rainbow-bright fantasy atmosphere, and Nasi’s compositions of waves and light create visual interest. First stop: Pon-Kan Kan Island. Lilibet intends to extract a superpower from the place but finds only glowing mushrooms. Stops at a series of islands where Lilibet continues to seek superpowers follow. “Stop hiding! And please…be REALLY SPARKLY and REALLY BIG!” Lilibet shouts to her imagined power. When Capt. Hippo points out the sun, sparkling like a fantasy power, she appreciates the sight: “Lilibet was mindful at last!” But when the sun disappears, she panics, and her anger summons a storm that endangers her ship. Capt. Hippo tells her: “You cannot stop the waves of Anger, Sadness, Joy or even Hunger, but you can decide what to do with them.” When Lilibet learns to take a deep breath and count to five, she discovers she’s a superhero, with choices to make about her anger. Stuker’s whimsical (if long-winded) story and Nasi’s bright illustrations will draw readers in to a consideration of emotional regulation as a superpower, though the impact of Lilibet’s actions on others is not examined. Capt. Hippo and Benjamin exist only to further her journey and hold no grudges.

A creative, if wordy, tale about mindfulness focused on personal triumph and well-being.