Higher Ground

Intergenerational lessons on self-sufficiency become the cornerstone of survival for a pair of siblings in this quietly hopeful graphic novel by Suwannakit (Sad, the Dog), set in a world ravaged by climate change. In a fifth-floor walk-up apartment, an elderly woman and her two grandchildren are unable to escape an apocalyptic storm. Rising floodwaters chase them to the roof, where they shelter in a utility shed below the building’s water tower. The following morning, the trio finds that the city they live in is gone, replaced by “water all around.” Expecting help that never comes, the children are bolstered by Grandma, who teaches them basic skills, including knot-tying, starting a fire, collecting rainwater, growing a garden, and catching fish. Appreciation of their togetherness, along with Grandma’s stories, give their lives purpose, and the fall harvest shows their hard work paying off. But as the storms continue, threatening the sanctuary of their rooftop, Grandma tells the children that “with each ending a new beginning unfolds. Embrace it”—advice the siblings carry to the work’s surreal climax. Transparent watercolor washes are layered with graphite powder, while gouache and acrylic paints render finer details for a dreamy, fantastical feel. Characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 7–11. (Sept.)