Godkin (Wolf Island) views nature's "endless cycle of destruction and renewal" through an artistic rather than a scientific lens. Opening on a lilting note, the narrative introduces the "gentle, smiling people" who reside in a sleepy village in a lush paradise. They live off the land, collecting "coconuts from the beaches, fruit from the forest, and fish from the lagoon." A Gauguin-esque portrait of a mother and child draining milk from a coconut typifies the easy mix of cooperation and warmth in this closely knit community. One day, the mountain that towers over their village "rumble[s] like a giant" and refuses to settle down. A full-bleed painting of majestic birds, dominated by red parrots, fleeing the grand green expanse of the island telegraphs the imminent danger. The village chief tells them "the birds were the messengers of the gods" and the people, too, leave their home. The people witness the effects of the volcanic eruption from a safe distance on a new island: a tidal wave rises on the horizon, and "for weeks afterward the sky was black with smoke." Godkin punctuates earth tones with the vivid hues that nature bestows—from the brilliant tropical fish to the vermilion flames of the spouting volcano. These graphics help readers appreciate the contrast between the tranquility of the villagers' initial existence and the violence of the phenomenon that brings it to an end—at least temporarily. A lyrical yet dramatic portrait of nature's cycle. Ages 6-up. (Oct.)
