The Water Beast - by Aaron Becker (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Ethereal illustrations follow a fantastical journey in this wordless picture book about finding courage." --Foreword Reviews (starred review)

In a breathtaking new voyage of discovery from the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of the Journey trilogy, a cautious boy must summon his courage to navigate real and fantastical landscapes alike in search of courage and connection.

A boy and his courage are tested when a bunch of playful kids interrupt his game of make-believe near the local swimming hole. "Come on!" they gesture, urging him to leap with them into the dark pool. But he's not ready to take the plunge. When his favorite toy falls into the water, a majestic creature emerges from the depths, inviting him on an adventure into the unknown. The boy journeys with his newfound friend into a surreal wilderness and through its countless obstacles--all the way back to the very thing he lost . . . and to something even greater found.

Review Quotes

Becker's surreal lands, populated with various creatures, playfully mirror the ruins at the beginning of the book. . . . Though Becker doesn't use a single word, his storytelling is impeccable, as is his worldbuilding. Relying on pencil and digital watercolor, he depicts settings filled with light that will entrance readers. . . . [An] evocative marvel. . . .
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Ethereal illustrations follow a fantastical journey in this wordless picture book about finding courage.
--Foreword Reviews (starred review)

About the Author

Aaron Becker is the best-selling author of the award-winning Journey trilogy, the first book or which was named a Caldecott Honor Book and a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. Some of Aaron Becker's other wordless books for children young and old include The Last Zookeeper, The Tree and the River, which won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration, and A Stone for Sascha. He's also the author of You Are Light, the first in a series of interactive board books suitable to display like stained glass in a window. When he's not exploring his western Massachusetts woods by mountain bike, he's busy drawing new worlds in his backyard studio. You can find him online at www.storybreathing.com.