The Wave

by Tyler Charlton, Tyler Charlton (Illustrator)

Overview

When a boy is swept up in a wave of sadness, he finds himself tumbling. But when he remembers that this sadness won't last forever, and that the wave will eventually carry him back to shore, he discovers his friends and family waiting to gently pull him out of the water and back home.

With hopeful text and gorgeous art, The Wave takes us on a journey through one child's experience with depression that fosters empathy for those on the outside, and solidarity for those still caught in the midst of their own wave. It is an honest look at depression which affects almost 2 million children in the United States.

The Wave is a must-read for anyone who finds themselves tumbling, and a beautiful reminder that we can reach out to others to keep our heads - and hearts - above water.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250842039
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	08/01/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	642,866
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tyler Charlton grew up near the beach in California where he played in actual, real waves. That experience gave him a way to think about the dark and foreboding metaphorical Waves, which led to the creation of The Wave. Tyler is a former editor in history publishing, an Army veteran, illustrator, and children’s book author. He now lives in northern Virginia with his wife and three children, who regularly pretend to be warrior robots or wild animals. The children will have you know there is one small, round cat as well.

Editorial Reviews

"Helpful insights for children dealing with depression and those who care about them." - Kirkus Reviews

"An introspective and reassuring title for readers across several grade ranges." - School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/25/2023

Gr 1–4—A child, presenting as white and male, finds himself swept up in a dark wave of depression. As the wave sweeps him away, at various times he swims, sinks, tumbles, and is carried by the current, all the while reflecting on the feelings it evokes: sadness, despair, frustration, anger, loneliness. Also depicted are one friend and the boy's parents, who, by the end of the story, wait patiently on the shore as the boy emerges from the water. Throughout the book, the author offers suggestions from his own experience meant to help young readers recognize and cope with their own or others' waves of depression. These strategies are revisited and briefly expanded upon in the back matter, along with an author's note and additional resources. The art, rendered in pencil and painted digitally, is soft and somber, and effectively captures both the narrator's struggle and the titular metaphor. VERDICT An introspective and reassuring title for readers across several grade ranges.—Lauren Strohecker

School Library Journal

2023-05-24
A boy caught in a dark wave learns how to stay afloat.

Whenever the wave unexpectedly carries him away, the tan-skinned child wishes he could run away, but he can’t fight it or outrun it—“All I can do is take care of myself until it passes.” Though he feels frustrated, he tells readers that as time passes, he calms down once more. The inky black wave is a straightforward metaphor for depression; kids coping with similar feelings will find this a poignant and validating work of bibliotherapy. Charlton’s advice is simple, sound, and heartfelt but never didactic. He notes that those swept up in the wave should guard their hearts, using the term to mean not letting one’s heart harden or hurt others. The author never implies that this or other tips included here are a fix for depression, merely that they will help readers cope. The illustrations are shadowy and evocative, effectively expressing the protagonist’s helplessness and despair. This would be a helpful, reassuring read for children in the same situation as the boy as well as a discussion starter for friends, siblings, and even adults in the child’s life who may not completely understand. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Helpful insights for children dealing with depression and those who care about them. (author’s note, resources) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews