Noah Builds an Ark

by Kate Banks, John Rocco (Illustrator)

A storm is coming -- a big one. How does a young urban boy prepare? A lovely allegorical story about ecology and caring inspired by the ancient tale of stewardship.

While his family readies his townhouse for an approaching storm, boarding up windows and laying in groceries, Noah heads to the back garden, where beetles are burrowing deeper into the bark and mice are stuffing their hole with moss. Quickly and efficiently, Noah sets to work building an ark for them and other backyard creatures -- salamanders and toads, snakes and spiders, even brightly colored hummingbirds. Setting out fistfuls of nuts and leaves, berries and seeds, the boy props a flashlight inside and arranges some miniature furniture for the animals to sit or sleep on. "Come," Noah whispers to his friends just as his mother calls him inside and the dark storm roars in. From an award-winning author and a Caldecott Honoree comes a quietly inspiring story about how taking action on behalf of our fellow earth travelers can help us face fearsome events.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nature, Childrens, Urban, Fiction, Religion

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2019

About the author

Kate Banks has written many books for children, among them Max’s Words, And If the Moon Could Talk, winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and The Night Worker, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award. She grew up in Maine, where she and her two sisters and brother spent a lot of time outdoors, and where Banks developed an early love of reading. “I especially liked picture books,” she says, “and the way in which words and illustrations could create a whole new world in which sometimes real and other times magical and unexpected things could happen.” Banks attended Wellesley College and received her masters in history at Columbia University. She lived in Rome for eight years but now lives in the South of France with her husband and two sons, Peter Anton and Maximilian.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/katebanks

Reviews

[Katie]

What a clever framing for a retelling of the Ark story- a child and his family preparing for a hurricane. I love that in this version Noah is the child, and he's still the center of the story. As his family prepares their house, he builds a refuge for all the smaller creatures in his yard. It ends up being a sweet, kid-centered family story, yet keeps the gravitas of a Biblical flood.

I lived briefly in New Orleans and evacuated once (Isaac, out of concern for my beloved decade-old Buick Century 'grandpa luxury car' I'd driven there with all my belongings from the state of WY, to see family friends in TN). That was just enough to know how much a hurricane-level storm upsets normal life and can feel world-ending.

John Rocco's illustrations are atmospheric and luminous, from the dappled sunlight of the jacket cover with Noah and his menagerie to the blue wash of the storm pages, through clouds and of course the rainbow, into into a daylight yard.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah Builds an Ark does as one would expect follow the biblical story. In this version, a young boy decides to build a shelter for the animals that live in his backyard to protect them from a coming storm. Now, in real life, these animals aren't likely to seek shelter together, and the illustrations show problems with the durability of the shelter, which is understandable since it's built by a young boy. But the boy's efforts to take stewardship for the animals he cares about makes for a tender story. My favorite part of the book though are Rocco's luminous illustrations. They are absolutely stunning. The animals with the tiny furniture huddled against the rain compare interestingly with the illustrations of the boy sheltering with his family in their home. The theme of human environmental stewardship shines through loud and clear. The religious parts of the original biblical story are not to be found here, the story revolves around the boy's efforts to save the animals. An enjoyable tale of environmental care.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this contemporary tale inspired by the biblical story of Noah's ark. I especially like the fact that the author doesn't try to remove God from the story, and that the story emphasizes the need to be good stewards of creation without laying on a thick ecological moral. I also loved the pictures, especially the peeks into Noah's makeshift ark as the animals weather the rain. I'm avoiding reading it to my kids during Lent, because we try not to say "Hallelujah" until Easter, and this word appears in the text, but my five-year-old has read it to herself, and she loved it as well. I'm happy to add this one to our home library, and to the list of picture books I can recommend to other Catholic families.

Read at a rain-themed family story time at my house on 6/28/19: https://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com...

[Dana Storytime Account · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the time of month where I come in to work and we have a cart of our new books to go over! It's always such an exciting time seeing what's coming in to the library. Sometimes I start off with a book I don't love and it makes it harder to like the rest of the books because I'm in the wrong mindset. Today I got to start with this book and I'm so glad I did!
I had a small moment of grown up "but those animals would eat each other" I had to push down, but it was so well told and the illustrations by John Rocco are absolutely beautiful!
I love that this book retells the Noahs Ark story in a way that can work for both non-religious families and religious families! It was such a good book to start the new books cart off with!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A parallel of the biblical story of Noah's ark. Readers do not need to be familiar with the Bible story to appreciate empathy in ingenuity in this story. As the storm approaches Noah wants to save the creatures in his garden. He builds an ark for his back yard animals birds, snakes, frogs, salamanders, and mice. When he calls they come to the ark. Noah even remembers to leave them some berries to eat so the animals don't eat each other. One assumes that the storm is a hurricane because of the boarded up of the windows and the length of the storm. The story is ok. I think I would have liked it better with more poetic writing. Illustrations are beautiful.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sure I would have enjoyed this one as a kid. There is a blending of fantasy and reality as Noah learns of a coming storm and uses his wagon to build a miniature ark for all of the small animals living in his urban backyard. The illustrations are a joy to look at, and even if things wouldn't happen exactly this way in a real setting, there remains a wonderful message of compassion and concern for even the most humble of living creatures.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was cool from lots of perspectives. I was interested in how the family prepared for the coming storm (hurricane, I'm guessing?). Also all of the backyard animals clustering in the makeshift "ark" was very charming. Also the descriptions/verb usage were really impactful in the way the rain and darkness were described.

[Susan Waltman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nicely written book with beautiful illustrations. Perfect for any animal lover.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story! This would be a fun one to read on a stormy day.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

WOW!
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

REDEMPTION!

John Rocco… absolutely a fantastic illustrator. When I saw that he had illustrated Kate Banks new book, I knew I had to see it.

When I write my new children series, I hope I am as fortunate in finding an illustrator such as Rocco.
Every critter, every facial expression every butterfly flutter, or raise of an eyebrow drawn adds emotion to each page. Realistic and beautiful. The color applications, the details of characters… without comparison. The cover alone has two hummingbirds on it, gorgeous! When I saw the cover, I knew I’d found a treasure. But the big question here, and one I was a bit nervous to find the answer to, did the story do the illustrations justice. So I began reading…

OMG! I just want to hug Noah, tell him that I get him, tell him that he is extraordinary because of his compassion for those smaller and unable to protect themselves. This picture book retelling moved me. Kate Banks takes a biblical story and modernizes it. She takes a realistic setting and places a tender, caring boy in its center, who is remarkable and compassionate… I loved him. I can see a child doing this. There’s such a truth to this story.

Growing up, my dad taught us a lot of the outdoors. As a veteran of WWII, he saw horrific things while overseas, things that people did to each other without care. Places destroyed, animals killed. When he came home and started his own family, he made certain his children would not grow into adults like those he encountered during the war. He taught us to appreciate this world and all the creatures in it. He taught us respect, not just for each other, but for everything in this world.

“Everything has its purpose,” he would tell me. “Even the smallest and often ignored or never noticed. Before you kill it, ask yourself, who or what does this creature rely on? Does it have a purpose? Does it have a family? What would you do if someone you loved or relied on was carelessly swept aside just because it was thought not to matter?”

So when I read this book, I thought of my dad and saw him in Noah. The care the lad takes to ensure the safety of others, not humans, but creatures of this earth, the compassion he shows to the smallest and the importance he holds all life to, this is what we all should be teaching our children.

The author’s magnificent story, and Rocco’s artwork… This book deserves to win awards. I will be keeping this book on my shelves and everytime I open it, I’ll smile remembering when…

Thank you.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this layered story the young boy Noah is a devoted naturalist who appreciates the various wildlife in his urban backyard. Banks writes a direct but appealing narrative, interspersed with lyrical word choice, strong verbs, and delightful figurative language:

"It started with a cloud peeping over the hill like a curious ghost."
"The sun snapped off its light. A curtain of darkness drew across the sky."
"The rain splashed down like silver swords thrown from heaven."

The text provides parallels between Noah and his parents: using tools, stocking up food, preparing for the worst. Once the storm sets in, Noah's indoor story reveals both the worry and the comfort of a family surviving a multi-day storm, depicted in charming spot illustrations. That clears the stage for expansive illustrations to reveal the parallels of outdoor survivors to indoor residents. The story is realistic and practical in many regards, although some kids will raise questions about the likelihood of these particular animals sharing close quarters for several days: Won't the toads each the insects?
These observations and questions open doors to discussions of intentionally stretching realism, extending and comparing readings and research in other genre, and determining themes for picture books.
Rocco's illustrations are luminous and nuanced, precise enough to verge on photographic, at times. The yard-dwelling creatures are not anthropomorphized, although alert and attentive. Young Noah and his family convey expressive features to suit the changing conditions throughout the story. Explorations of empathy and trust will spontaneously arise from these rich images and the engaging story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young boy Noah "spied it coming from afar. It started with a cloud peeping over the hill like a curious ghost." "It's going to be a beauty," said Noah's father. Mother and little sister stack groceries and fill water jugs in the kitchen while Father got out his tools, ready to board up the windows. With John Rocco's beautifully-colored paintings, the story follows a calm family readying for a big storm. After noticing the small living creatures in his back yard and with a bit of magical realism, Noah himself takes apart his wagon, builds a roof and adds some tiny furniture and a muffin tin of food. He then whispers "Come" to the creatures. And they do! Noah must leave them to run inside as "the sun snapped off its light". The storm has arrived. Preparing ahead shows that it helps the frightening aspect of any storm. The family eats and plays by candlelight; the storm rages, but they are prepared and are safe. You'll need to read the rest to see what happens with Noah's ark!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a big storm on the horizon and Noah's parents are busy getting the family's townhouse ready. Noah's father is boarding up windows and his mom is making sure the family has enough food, water and other supplies to ride out the storm for a few days. Inspired by his parents and his love of animals, Noah decides to build an ark that the backyard wildlife can use to stay dry and safe during the heavy rains. This book uses great descriptive language and beautiful illustrations to tell this story of taking care of families and animals. It is loosely based on the Bible story of Noah and the flood, so Noah's Ark by Jerry Pinkney would be a terrific partner book to share with young readers who are unfamiliar with it.

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Noah Builds an Ark," written by Kate Banks, is a modern-day retelling of the Biblical story. A storm is coming, and while his father boards up the family home, young Noah takes it upon himself to build a wagon-shelter for the creatures in his garden. He even provides them with a miniature table and chairs, around which they can huddle.

When I first read through this book, I was admittedly critical, reminding myself that field mice would never willingly "camp out" with a pair of hummingbirds. But then I realized something: that's where the magic lies. Both Biblical Noah, and the Noah in Banks' story, acted in childlike-faith and with great compassion, and that is stunning. Of course, all families pray their children will have a similar reaction in such stormy circumstances!

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you familiar with the Old Testament story of Noah and his Ark? Exactly, sure you are.

Well, here's a variation, with an ecological emphasis. This Noah is just a boy, yet what does he do when he learns that a big storm is coming. This picture book hero, this Noah, puts together a beautiful place of safety for all the animals in his garden.

YOUR SAMPLE OF THE BRILLIANT WRITING BY KATE BANKS

Noah hurried into the house to watch and wait.
Suddenly the rain snapped off its light.
A curtain of darkness drew across the sky.
The rain tiptoed at first, PITTER-PATTER, PITTER-PATTER.
And the wind WHOOSHED and SHOOSHED.
Then there was a silence so grand you could hear a tear drop.

Magnificent wordwork by Kate Banks, and equally magnificent artwork by John Rocco.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a big storm approaches, Noah's family prepares by boarding up the windows, storing food and water, gathering candles and flashlights, etc. All the while Noah is in the backyard preparing his little red wagon to be an ark for the garden animals. He builds a roof, collects food, and leaves a small flashlight burning. Two by two the animals enter the ark, the hummingbirds, lizards, mice, frogs, beetles, and snakes. Noah and his family stay safe inside their home and the garden animals stay safe in the ark Noah built.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning artwork by artist John Rocco. So much detail and color.

Noah loves animals, all the little animals in his yard. He watches over the city as a huge storm is coming. His family is getting ready for it, so he decides to take care of his yard friends himself. He takes his old wagon and builds a safe structure for them. The storm hits and he calls all the little animals into the ark. It's two by two as well. He even lets the spiders in. Ah, no.

We see the people shelter inside and the animals shelter outside. Cute little story.

[Sue Poduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems a little silly to call this a quiet book, since the central event is a storm that lasts four days, but quiet it is. In it, the reader learns a lot about what it takes to survive such a storm and how beneficial it is to be helpful to those around us. Though it’s somewhat doubtful that all of Noah’s creatures would share this type of space, the heartwarming way in which the story is presented make this a tale worth embracing.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat updating/retelling of the Noah's Ark story. Noah in this book is both his biblical namesake, building the ark, but also kind of the God figure in that he determines that the animals need to be saved, and somehow manages to convince them not to eat each other during the storm. (Magical realism! Disney princess powers!)
Stunning illustrations, and just a really cool story about taking the time to remember the critters when natural disasters approach.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a family prepares for an incoming storm, the young boy prepares a shelter for the creatures he has observed in the garden.

John Rocco's pencil and watercolor illustrations are breath-taking, especially of the scenes of the small ''ark" and its creatures waiting out the storm.

A lovely touching tale of taking care of all lives around us.

[Alex Lindsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has beautiful illustrations, especially those of the garden creatures. I also liked how it compared the things the humans were doing with the things the animals were doing. We could ask kids questions like, "in what ways are we similar to animals?", "how can we help animals like Noah did?", or even use it to talk about storms.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a storm approaches, Noah's family prepares their house for it. Windows are boarded up, water and food is collected, and candles are set aside. Meanwhile out in the back yard Noah is building a shelter for all of the insect and wild life that lives in his back yard.

[T Crockett · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice modern day play on the Bible story. I can see it being used to teach ecology - just as the parents care for the children, we all need to care for the animals around us.

My favorite part was the gorgeous illustrations.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Noah's parents get ready for the big storm (patching holes in the roof, gathering candles), Noah gets ready by building a shelter for all the creatures in the back garden. Obviously reminiscent of the biblical Noah tale, this one adds a fun modern sense with fantastic illustrations.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE the concept, but the execution was kind of meh. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, it just didn't grab me. I might have liked a more poetic approach to the writing (NOT rhyming), I'm not sure.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Banks Vault #12
Storm comes to town and whilst some are protecting the house, Noah looks after the animals, which s literally not the point of the story of Noah, but it is still entertaining and will have some kids quite excited.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the family prepares for a huge storm, a young child prepares a shelter for the creatures in the back yard.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a storm approaches a boy builds a little ark for the animals and insects in his backyard. Not the religious retelling of the Noah's Ark story.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star rating! I enjoyed the illustrations and the nature aspect of the story.