The Brain Storm

PreS-Gr 1—At the sound of his alarm clock, a little boy wakes up with a storm, portrayed by pencil scribbles, rising from his head. While he goes about his day, the swirling mass proves to be a nuisance. At school, it trips players on the basketball court, and at home, Grandma knits a sweater from its black "threads." Taking a hint from her example, the boy finally accepts its presence and puts it to use. This abstract representation of the flurry of thoughts in our heads visually demonstrates the harm and good that come from them. The storm can be distracting and lead to sleeplessness and damaged relationships, but when handled thoughtfully it can be molded toward creative pursuits. Molina uses color sparingly; the final spread of the relaxed child is the only one painted fully. All other pages isolate him and show the dominance of the thoughts by placing them both against cream backgrounds. Faces of other characters are also drawn in pencil, which further distances the boy from the world around him. Ragsdale's wordless narrative teaches children how to take control of their racing thoughts, before assuring them that, once satiated, the mind will calm. Furthermore, this book will pair well with extension activities and discussion to help them understand the lesson individually.