Growing up, I had a hard time with change. Even something as simple as my family getting rid of an old car or throwing away old toys could be devastating to me.
Change can be scary when one way of life is all you know. So, it’s comforting to have stories that show that we can adapt to new things and that they can make things better in the long run.
Author Susan Polk Van Dusen has taken a classic story and turned it into a gentle yet fun opportunity for kids to learn about change and relationships with her story Noah Zark. Below is my review of Noah Zark along with an interview with Van Dusen about her book and writing.
Noah Zark plot summary
Noah Zark is an eight-year-old boy who lives with his mother and father and is obsessed with animals. These animals overtake their home to the point where Noah’s parents decide to build a boat in their backyard for the animals to live.
Once the boat is finished, Noah sets out to round up his animal collection and bring them into the boat. The animals are reluctant to go. However, once they are there, they feel comfortable enough to throw a party. Noah goes from feeling guilty to left out to eventually relieved that the animals are comfortable in their new home. And he now has a place to visit them that’s close by without them taking over his parents’ house.
The story
Noah Zark is a creative, modern retelling of the classic Noah’s Ark story that very thinly resembles its source material with no religious undertones. Instead, it creates an entirely new conflict, message, and resolution that is kid friendly and fun to read. Noah is an outcast who is only interested in hanging out with animals. Normally, this type of story’s message would be to teach kids to connect with their own kind and introduce a human friend for Noah to spend time with. Instead, it leans into his interests and doesn’t strip him of his passions or preferred company.
It’s Noah’s parents who have the real conflict of their son’s friends destroying their house. However, their solution is a compromise that doesn’t deny their son of his friends but just provides enough of a separation that they don’t feel so intruded upon in their own home.
Unlike the biblical story, there’s no flood or any other apocalyptic event that creates any high stakes, life or death situations. Instead, it’s a gentle learning opportunity for Noah to learn about change and that true friends won’t abandon you.
The illustrations
The illustrations by Scott Mattson are very clean and colorful. Both the humans and animals have strong personalities and very natural movements.
The backgrounds are detailed and really put the reader in a three-dimensional space and add character and personality to the story that resonate with yet aren’t explicitly detailed in the text. I especially like some of the features in the ark that make it seem more like a cruise ship than a wooden box to store the animals as well as some of the animals’ background activities such as raccoons playing croquet in the front yard or a rabbit listening to music on an old Walkman on Noah’s bed.
The style and format
The story is told in rhyme with very good rhythm and really interesting, and sometimes funny, word choice. There are two sets of rhyming couplets on each page, just enough room to share a full thought without overwhelming the reader with words and details and enough time to peruse the illustrations.
I like that there are some spreads with no words at all, just a pause in the storytelling to take in the moment at that point in the story. You can tell that the author and illustrator really wanted to create something full and thought provoking yet also fun and energetic.
My recommendation
I recommend Noah Zark to readers ranging from pre-school to early elementary school. It’s a fun book with a full story, fun illustrations, and particularly geared towards animal lovers. It shows kids that it’s sometimes necessary to give a new way of life a chance. Your closest relationships can endure any change, and it can even help you to grow closer to them.
My rating
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An interview with Susan Polk Van Dusen
How did you get the idea to adapt the classic Noah’s Ark story into a more modern, kid-friendly version of the tale? Did the idea of having the backyard flood and the boat begin to float ever come up?
I wrote Noah Zark about 20 years ago. My daughters were very young at the time, and we read picture books every day.
As a professional writer, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at a picture book that my girls and other kids could enjoy. I submitted the manuscript to some publishers but was unable to secure a book deal. It eventually went in a drawer, and I forgot about it. When I ran across the manuscript in 2023, I was still happy with the story and thought I would give self-publishing a go, which wasn’t an option 20 years ago.
I honestly don’t remember how I initially came up with the idea, except that it started with a young animal lover whose name was a pun on Noah’s Ark. There was never any thought to include a flood, a rainbow, or other link to the Bible story. The focus was always on Noah, his animal friends, and the big boat/ark in the backyard.
What’s your process for writing a story with a definitive rhyme scheme? Was this the plan from the beginning, or did it come about as you wrote?
Since the original draft was written so long ago, I don’t really remember my process for writing it. However, I enjoyed reading rhyming books to my daughters and, I’m sure, drew inspiration from those.
For my other rhyming book — What’s so Special About a Tree? — and books that are upcoming, I tend to mull over potential sentences and phrases, making note of the ones I like. Then, I spend time (sometimes quite a while) considering how to complete that thought by using a rhyme.
I try to avoid imperfect rhymes that break the rhythm, although sometimes that is challenging. If I can’t come up with an exact rhyme that a) advances the story, b) is easy for a child to understand, and c) brings joy to the reader, then I rewrite the original line and start over with that process. Many people advise against writing rhyming books because it is challenging and, if not done well, can produce a mediocre end product. I like the process of finding the perfect rhyme, and I hope the readers enjoy the story they tell.
Noah prefers animal friends to human ones. What advice do you have for kids who might feel like outcasts and have trouble fitting in?
We all feel like outcasts at one point or another. Maybe we want to be part of a certain group that doesn’t accept us, or we are in an unfamiliar setting filled with people we don’t know.
I don’t think of Noah as an outcast. I think of him as a boy who has found love and acceptance from an unlikely group of friends. And the feeling is mutual. The animals care about Noah as much as he cares about them. Maybe the lesson is that sometimes we have to look beyond the obvious to find joy and acceptance in a place where we truly belong.
Did you work closely with the illustrator, Scott Mattson? Did you have any specific directions for the illustrations?
Scott and I went to high school together. He had drawn some illustrations for a picture book in the past but had never illustrated an entire book. I knew his style was similar to what I wanted and was really happy he was willing to take on the challenge.
My initial instructions included the fact that I wanted cartoon-style animals that did not wear clothes but did human things, like listening to music and playing croquet. I also wanted Noah’s family to be mixed race and for the book to be bright and joyful. I gave him instructions and rough sketches for each spread, along with sample illustrations from other books to help guide his decisions. We went back and forth on details and to ensure the animals looked consistent throughout the book. I am very happy with the end result and love how he made Noah, his parents, and the animals come to life.
Do you have a favorite page or moment from the book?
My favorite moment from the book is when the chimpanzee leaves the party, grabs Noah’s hand, and leads him back inside. That’s when we know that even though they don’t live together anymore, Noah’s bond with his animal friends is as strong as ever. Physical separation from your friends might be sad at first, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun when you’re together.
Are there any Easter eggs or any kind of personal references in the book that the average reader might not pick up on?
That’s a great question. Unfortunately, there are not any Easter eggs, but I wish I had thought to include some!
Is Noah based on anyone in particular? What do you think Noah grows up to be like?
Noah isn’t based on a real person, but I think he definitely admires primatologist Jane Goodall (as do I) and grows up to study animals in their natural habitat.
What’s next for you?
I’m excited to announce the second book in my Art and Verse series will be out in spring 2025. This picture book series features original paintings and drawings by my late father, which are set alongside a gentle rhyming verse targeted to kids ages 4-8.
My dad was a prolific artist who created paintings and drawings on many different themes during his life. I incorporated 14 of his tree-themed paintings into the first book in the series.
The upcoming book is titled Our Friend the Cowboy and will focus on cowboy-related art, along with an accompanying verse any young kid who loves the Wild West is sure to enjoy. Visit my website, and sign up to be notified when it’s released.
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