The Gale — Mo Yan

This contemplative, semiautobiographical picture book by Nobel Laureate Mo Yan, with illustrations by Hans Christian Anderson Award nominee Zhu Chengliang, is perfect for readers of A Different Pond and Watercress.

One morning, so early that fog still sleeps on the surface of the river, a young boy accompanies his yeye seven miles north to the grassy field behind their home to cut satintail to feed the livestock. But when a massive gale scatters the hay -- and a whole day's work -- important lessons will need to be learned about endurance, impermanence, and how to let go and weather the storm in a world that can often feel overwhelming and uncontrollable.

In sparse, lyrical prose interpreted by critically acclaimed author-illustrator Ying-Hwa Hu, The Gale is the first-ever picture book by the Nobel Prizeâ€"winning author of celebrated classics like Red Sorghum and Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out. It is adapted from the novella of the same name.