Runaway Pond

Inspired by a true story, this picture book celebrates everyday heroism while offering a lyrical look at how landscapes change over time.

For years, Long Pond - clear and curved like a crooked finger - provided joy and sustenance to a Vermont village. When a powerful late-summer storm causes the pond to overflow, runner Spencer Chamberlain races to warn people living downstream. His quick actions help save the villagers, but the storm forever alters the landscape. In this gentle tale based on real events, Nancy Price Graff explores how nature continually reshapes the world around us, while Bagram Ibatoulline's paintings capture the beauty of that change.