Blackout

This heartwarming story was really fun to read! Blackout is a clever book about a summer night when all the lights in a neighborhood go out. A young boy wants to play a board game with his family, but they are too busy with household chores and technology to pay attention. When the power shuts down, though, they discover a block party on the rooftops of neighboring buildings. Everyone is out in the streets having fun with one another! Soon, the power is restored and all is back to normal. Instead of returning to their devices, however, the boy shuts off the lights, turns on some candles, and the family plays a boardgame together like the power is still out.

I absolutely loved this book! I was really intrigued by the illustrations, as they reminded me a lot of a graphic novel. The realistic looking setting was brought to life with beautiful blues, greys, and blacks that gave unexpected depth to each illustration's frame. The flashes of color that were a result of a flashlight or candle were genius, drawing the reader in and focusing attention on what the setting might look like beyond the darkness. The author also used some unique illustrative techniques, isolating pictures and bringing characters out of the frames to draw interest and focus.

I think sweet message of disconnecting to form closer bonds with one another is a great thing to talk about with students! This is also a great read for parents as it gives some perspective about a child's desire to just hang out with family. I noticed that the family was a multicultural family, so I think that it is really important to feature books like these in a classroom, especially ones that have high levels of diversity. Having books that serve multiple purposes is an intelligent way to reach several students with just one book.

Blackout 
By: John Rocco 
Published in 2011