Flooded

'Flooded' is a delightful children's picture book written and illustrated by Mariajo Ilustrajo. As the story begins, the animals awaken to discover that their city is flooded. Mostly they are unfazed or amused by the problems this causes, but as the waters rise they start to panic - all apart from one small creature who has known what needed to be done from the start but nobody has been listening.

This story contains some positive and memorable messages for young children about teamwork, collaboration, listening to everyone and how to deal with problems. Children and adults alike will enjoy Ilustrajo's charming illustrations - all the animals are drawn in black and white apart from the small creature whose yellow tail appears on every page - and adults will especially appreciate the humour and social commentary Ilustrajo includes, such as the giraffes who remark to each other "What is there to complain about? It's just a bit of water" while smaller creatures are struggling, or the kangaroos in the art gallery who observe that "Wet are is the new thing". The art gallery pages also allow for some other excellent visual gags.

This is a wonderful book which, and I'm sure I will be buying lots of copies as children's birthday and Christmas presents over the coming years! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was such a fun read. I loved the oddity of the story and the subtle way in which the message of working together was integrated.

Flooded is a graphic novel enjoyable for bigger kids and even adults. The drawings are breathtaking (pun intended) and witty as well. The story unfolds in a big city inhabited by all sorts of animals doing what humans usually do amidst the hustle and bustle of a posh city. Their busy and fun life is interrupted by the seeping in of some water and some more and some more until they need to act immediately. The flood teaches them something important about their society.
Flooded draws attention to our environmental problems, not just flooding; the amount of trash littering the streets is truly disgusting. No, it's not a nice picture even if the illustrator is pretty talented.
Flooded has a social message. What is alright for you can be a problem for others. It's all a matter of size. The giraffes enjoy cooling off in a "lake" all day.
I had a good laugh at our social trends of always wanting something new and curious. The animals "invent" wet art as the flood reaches the museums.
I love that some crucial aspects of the story are told only through the pictures.
Let's not forget it's a tale, the animals come up with some funny and unbelievable solutions, like reading newspapers comfortably underwater or using jars as headwear, they surely keep the water out and block oxygen at the same time.
Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for sending this book for review consideration. I read a DRC. All opinions are my own.

Mariajo Ilustrajo's charming line illustrations and clever use of color bring this story to life. When water slowly begins to trickle in, most of the animals think it's a fun novelty and go on about their lives. You can see the smallest animals being impacted and having to adjust quickly to the new situation, such as the mice floating by on an inner tube as bigger animals dine out. However, as the blue water slowly covers the page, the animals must work together to solve the massive flood. This book is a fun read with lots to look and and find in the illustrations. It would also be a great read-aloud to kids as a way to talk about team work and communities working together. While not explicitly about climate change, Flooded could be used as a tool to discuss both the rising ocean levels.

An incredible little storybook with lots of strong climate messages. Filled with simplistic yet impactful illustrations.

A story of how problems, like the climate crisis, get worse the longer we ignore them & that the only solution is to come together.

This was an all round excellent book, with very accessible and reflective messages for young people of all ages.

Thank you to NetGalley & Quarto for the DRC, I will be recommending!

This review is made possible via an ARC through NetGalley.

Flooded is beautifully illustrated and a paints a very clear message for it's audience regarding inequity as well as climate change. The juxtaposition of the plight of the smaller animals and the larger animals shrugging the situation off is reminiscent of a lot of current conversations.

While I do think this book would do quite well with younger audiences (and think teachers or parents can use it to ask 'How do they feel?' for teaching empathy) and guardians who want to raise politically conscious children would value it, I also think it's a good book for upper audiences. Some middle schoolers and up might have a negative view of picture books, but the simplicity and clarity of the pages can help to open a lot of doors to conversations in families, classrooms, and friend groups.

What a brilliant idea for a story and a wonderfully illustrated book.

Flooded shows a menagerie of animals waking up to see that their community has flood water making travel and usual activities difficult and nearly impossible for the smaller ones.

At first they adjust by wearing wellies and splashing in puddles until the water rises beyond ankle deep. Eventually, it is only the giraffes that can keep their heads above water.

I loved the simplicity of the story; the brevity of the words and slogans used. The drawings and diversity of the animal kingdom will keep younger minds guessing and pointing out different characters on each reading.

Of course there is a more profound parable being played out in this clever book. The slowness to respond and the solution being within reach if everyone works together.

But as in this story if we leave it too late, the “clean up” will take longer and the consequences may be with us for far longer than necessary.

A terrific debut; a book to treasure and hold close to your heart.

Sometimes you open a picture book and start to read and immediately you know it you like it, but at the same time you can’t quite work out why it is so appealing. For me this book is that. A fun story book to be read with a child? Yes! But: Did it make me think? Again yes. Is the story about ignoring life’s small problems as they slowly creep up on us to become big ones? Is the story about humans ignoring climate change? Is it about the need to work together to solve problems? Maybe all of these things and more. Have a read, a think and talk about it with a child and see what comes of that. Thank you to Quart Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I adored this little book!! The use of lines and colours is so beautiful, and each animal so full of character. I love the allegorical capacity of the story. I personally read it as a call to immediate collective climate action, especially given the floods ravaging countries all around the globe this year, but of course the story can be interpreted in so many more way. I love the rich details and nuances condensed into such a short narrative. There’s toxic positivity, collective inertia, the business-as-usual ostrich mentality, turning a deaf ear to someone who has identified the problem and tried to offer a solution from the very beginning, and privileged individuals (represented by giraffes) downplaying the gravity of the situation. It’s nice how ending focuses on solidarity rather than blame - I think it’s sends a good message to children. Lovely art and storytelling. Definitely want to read more by this author.

Amazing! Cute, powerful, meaningful and so much fun to read! That was my best picture book in a long time!

Flooded is a perfect picture book for schools. The story is relatively simple - a town is being flooded and the animals must work together to try and fix it - and the illustrations are captivating; there is so much to notice on each page.
What makes it exceptional is that it could be used in all groups across a primary school to great effect. Younger years will enjoy the story and the pictures, discussing how the animals need to work together and linking it to the theme of collaboration and teamwork, perhaps. Working with the older year groups, I would use it to go deeper, using it as a way into climate change discussions, ignoring the warnings of people, how it effects the 'smaller' animals first, how others only begin to take notice when it impacts them, etc.
A fantastic read and a essential book for primary school classrooms and libraries.
Thank you, Quarto Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advance read in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book needs to be read in every classroom, home, and the office of every politician. In the most efficient and creative way, the authors depicted our society from current events, blame shifting, societal/class/privilege differences. I truly hope this book becomes a staple!

It was a great book my son enjoyed it. He was laughing and loved all the pictures as well.
I loved it as well the illustrations were so cute. It’s a perfect kids book. I definitely recommend

An exceptionally charming take on climate change and the importance of banding together to solve big problems. While the city's residents initially find the light flood of water to be diverting and a great excuse to don rainboots, the city's smaller animals and those in charge of preserving artwork and other treasures begin to believe that the flood is a real threat. Taller giraffes and other animals who aren't as impacted by the flood find all of the hubbub to be overblown, but soon, everyone is entirely underwater. Only by working together to drain the flood can the city's animals overcome this challenge and begin to rebuild. In addition to its charming black-and-white-and-blue illustrations, this story offers an excellent opportunity to discuss climate change with students, particularly from an equity and diversity angle. We'll be adding this book to our library collection and recommending it as a read-aloud option for teachers!

I enjoy the illustrations, the story, and the lesson it portrays about avoiding letting tiny problems grow into major ones; I especially like how every problem has a solution

A beautifully illustrated cautionary tale with a positive message from Mariajo Ilustrajo. I love everything about this lovely picture book from the colour palette to the text style to the story!
I can’t wait to recommend ‘Flooded’ to our young patrons and their families.

A fab picture book full of fantastic animal characters which focuses on the power of teamwork and which also sheds a light on the state of our world. With a strong eco message, it tackles the subject through humour and hope. The animals' world is flooding but no one is worried until it starts to get problematic. Then everyone begins to panic...
With humourous pictures that add to the powerful text, there's something extra to spot with each read. As one small voice is drowned out, will the animals ever find the solution? This is a text designed to get young readers thinking and one which has the power to initiate deep discussion.

In this story water is slowly flooding the city. At first all the animals go on with their lives, however as the water level rises it becomes a problem for the smaller creatures. Most of the larger animals don't really pay attention to the problem as it isn't really affecting them. Soon enough the city becomes so flooded that it can't be ignored, so all the animals must work together to pull the plug and drain the city.

I just want to say how absolutely beautiful this book is! The illustrations are just impeccable. It has quite a sketchy art style with everything being in greyscale apart from the almost watercolour-esque blue of the water and the bold yellow of our main character's tail. This bright yellow can be used to track our protagonist throughout the pages as some scenes can get quite chaotic with lots of animals everywhere. I like how the book highlights that the same problem can have a different effect on different people/animals, and how it is important to keep an eye out for each other and work together to solve a problem before it grows out of hand.

I cannot wait to get myself a hard copy so I can read it out to my preschool class, with conversations to follow on our topics of caring for others, diversity, problem solving, as well as climate change and caring for our environment. This book is such a great starting off point for many different conversation topics for children.

"Flooded" by Mariajo Ilustrajo is a charming and delightful children's book that expertly weaves captivating illustrations with an important ecological message. The author's ability to introduce young readers to complex environmental issues in a gentle and accessible manner is truly commendable. The illustrations not only enhance the storytelling experience but also serve as a visual tool to convey the urgency of the topic at hand. Through a heartwarming narrative, "Flooded" effectively communicates the notion of collective responsibility and emphasizes the significance of working together to address environmental challenges. A must-read for young minds eager to explore the world around them while also learning about the importance of environmental stewardship.

This is a gorgeous book, with new things to see with each read. The illustrations are fantastic and add so much to the actual story. It would be a great book to use in a classroom, to teach about empathy, care of the environment, teamwork, resilience etc. I could see children from Nursery age to Y6 all reading this and taking different things from it. A future classic.

It is a book that seems to be about the environment. That might be one of the messages there, but there are other lessons for children to learn from the book. It is definitely a book I would love to use in my class.

This little book is a treat. A wonderfully simple story of how some problems don’t look the same for everyone but need just as much attention for the sake of making sure everyone is well cared for. It opens up an easy way to discuss not waiting until something affects us before caring how it affects others. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and I’ll absolutely considering adding this book to my son’s shelf upon release.

First, I want to say I appreciate how the author tells the story. While reading, it felt as though I was reading a script to a cartoon. I liked how the different animals in the story had something to say about the situation all the while still focused on their individual problems. The story has a lot of relation to how things are as a society today. There are so many problems going on and it is easy to get distracted by your own problems and ways of living until the problem that is brewing behind the scene get out of hand.

This would be a wonderful picture book to add to a school library or homeschool library for middle school readers. Children can engage in discussion about the animals in the book and also the moral of the story. I will definitely purchase a hard copy for my homeschool library.

Flooded is a wonderful fun book about a town that floods slowly. At first, everyone is amused and delighted by something new and different, but over the course of the day, the water continues to rise, and it becomes a problem for the whole city! All the animals of the town realize they need to work together to solve the problem.

This is a great way to teach kids that taking care of problems before they get bigger. If you see a small problem, reach out to someone else and work together to fix it before it becomes a big problem. If a problem grows that big, it often causes other problems. Wonderful message to work together, too! We loved the illustrations, too. Fun and meaningful book! ❤️

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review on the book!

I loved this children's book! Such a simple, yet elegant way of explaining problem prevention and how problems that might not directly affect you can be devastating to others. This is such an important lesson for kids to learn, and it was presented in a way that encourages teamwork and recognizing when things disproportionately affect others. The illustration style was also beautiful - I would absolutely recommend this to someone with children!

I received an ARC of FLOODED by Mariano Ilustrajo from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books. All opinions are my own, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Age: Picture Book
Themes: Working together, problem-solving, environmental issues, activism

First, the pictures tickle my fancy! The characters are so adorable!

Second, this book is one with a strong message.

When it's first wet, no one cares and nobody does anything about it. They figure someone else will take care of things. But the problems worsens.

So who will take care of the earth?
Who will work for changes?

Even though this book was written with a strong environmental bent, I think children will not feel like they're being preached to. Mostly, this book works because it's humorous.

I would definitely pick up this book.
It's a fast read—the illustrations are engaging—and everyone can use some help sometimes.

I recommend this book!

Happy reading!

I love this book. It’s an important and very relevant topic. The story makes it easy to discuss extreme weather conditions with children in a safe and calm way. I really live the illustrations and especially the contrast between the black and white and the blue of the water. Really nice.

With her debut picture book, Artist Mariajo Illustajo has created a story about teamwork and facing problems. One morning the everyone wakes up to find that ”the city was just a bit... WET!” None of the animals seem to care at first. One animal tries to get help solving the situation. But he is ignored at first, along with the problem. It is only when the water gets to be too big of an issue that anyone does anything about it. Illustajo’s created pen and acrylic drawings which are highlighted by the floodwater that was added through photoshop. The predominate color awash over the rest of the picture emphasizes the importance of the rising floodwaters despite the animals’ nonchalant attitude. The only other bit of color is the bright yellow tail of the main character. Although he is small and feels lost in the crowd, his bright tail keeps him noticeable to the reader. Illlustajo created this book as part of her Master's Degree program in Children’s Illustration. She gained Worldwide attention when it brought her the World Illustration Awards for New Talent Overall (2020). This book is great, and I will be watching for more fantastic work from her.

I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is one that I feel people from all ages and all walks of life could learn from. Through a child's eyes, it could be simply seen as just a funny book about a city being underwater and the animals getting wet. For adults, it could take on a more serious role in tackling social and economic challenges. The taller animals care little about the rising water because it doesn't affect them in the same way as it does the smaller ones. By the time they begin to care, it's too late and the whole city is underwater. The little voice trying to help in the very beginning is ignored because no one feels the need to do anything. The animals all coming together in the end to help is a great message that I think is important to teach children.

A delightful and deceptively simple picture book. The expressive, limited-palette illustrations are wonderful and all the little details will surely be enjoyed by children. The rats, for example, are a hoot. Across the scenes they are variously surfboarding, floating on dinghies, and rowing together in a long canoe.

The gradually rising flood and the way it differently impacts the animals, with some much more vulnerable than others, can certainly be seen as a parable for climate change. So the story could be used as a launching pad for discussion around that issue. But the message that we need to work together to solve large problems (and to pay attention to them before they get so large) applies to many situations. These serious messages are conveyed in an entirely entertaining and approachable way.

This was a great book with a great moral. The illustrations and lessons were good. It's important for children to realize that teamwork is important and it's also important to not let small problems become big problems.

This was amazing. I loved the illustrations and the hilarious writing. It felt like a children’s book for adults. I immensely enjoyed it, I also liked the color palette. The illustrator kept it minimal which packed a powerful punch. The characters were cute. The book felt new and different in its ideas.

Just as the description of the book said, funny and beautifully illustrated. But also full of meaning, and applicable to our daily life. People tend to ignore warning, and resulting in so many victims after the disaster came. This story was told in a gentle and funny way, that while reading it, I was also reminded of my ignorance.

This book had me chuckling out loud to myself! It reminds us of the need to slow down and to notice and appreciate the small things around us. I love the muted colour choices which perfectly match the mood and tone of the story. The use of animals will certainly engage children and prompt lots of purposeful discussion about teamwork, listening and of the need to communicate.
I can't wait to use this in school.

Will definitely be adding this title to our subscription box in the coming months, it's a wonderful story, beautifully illustrated!

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

The black-and-white illustrations were gorgeous! They made the water stand out in the busiest scenes. We loved the numerous types of animals and the clever ways they dealt with the water. This is a beautiful story about teamwork and facing problems together. It has a great message.

It’s an odd thing; one day the animals wake up to find their city just a little bit…wet. It’s a curiosity, a conversation starter, a change in the routine. No one thinks too much of it at first, but the water continues to rise causing bigger and bigger problems for the smaller animals. The large animals continue to ignore the water until it’s finally too high to ignore anymore. Finally, the animals start to listen to the voice of reason and work together to figure out how to rid their city of all the water that’s flooded their lives.

I loved this book. I loved the black and white illustrations with just a touch of yellow and a whole lot of blue. I loved the message that feels so relevant today for so many problems in our world. I loved the humor and the ambiguity, but most of all I loved how I got to use this book as an illustration in a conversation with my husband (bless his heart).

Flooded is a beautiful book about coming together as a community to tackle the problems around us. Parents and caregivers can utilize the ambiguity of the book to help children understand bigger issues in the world or smaller problems in their own lives. Flooded is set for publication October 2. Make sure you check it out, and let me know what you think!

This book was so atmospheric, I loved it! The writing too was so perfectly done, it really was heart warming and not at all difficult to read, so is perfect for kids all ages. I will definitely be recommending it! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this early copy