A Wave Came Through Our Window

This morning I received the greatest gift—13 stunning illustrations by Charity Russell for my forthcoming picture book. I thought I’d share a few pages to whet your appetite:

 

 

Last night a wave came through our window.

Not a splashing, salty wave.

Not a greedy, hungry wave that tugs at your ankles as you run up the beach.

It was a different kind of wave…

 

 

 

 

In the summer, we sleep with the windows open WIDE.

It gets real hot in our apartment, so Benny and I sleep in our underwear.

Papa tells us to lie still, but hot nights make you feel itchy inside.

Benny and I toss and turn.

We kick off the sheets and slide our hands under our pillows

’cause that’s where the cool is at.

 

 

 

The air in our bedroom feels warm and thick like Grandma’s split pea soup.

The fan on our dresser turns and churns the air but doesn’t cool the room at all.

Benny and I hold our hands up high and wait for the first wave to come through our window.

Sometimes it comes right away. Sometimes we have to wait.

I spread my fingers wide apart and look out at the moon.

It is bright and round like a big white zero in the middle of the dark blue sky.

Benny’s arms aren’t as strong as mine.

She gets tired of waiting and starts to whine. “When’s the wave going to come?”

“Shhh,” I tell her. “It’s coming now. I can feel it.”