Author Illustrates Asheville Storm Impact in New Book
Asheville-based creator Jerald Pope publishes a wordless book documenting the devastation of Tropical Storm Helene.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Environmental
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Asheville author Jerald Pope released a new 40-page illustrated book in 2026 titled Ark. The wordless volume depicts the journey of woodland animals struggling through the floodwaters caused by Tropical Storm Helene.
Why it matters
The book serves as a creative resource for children attempting to process the trauma and recovery following the September 2024 storm. By using visuals rather than text, the author aims to provide hope for those impacted by the disaster across Western North Carolina.
Jerald Pope spent six months creating the ink and watercolor illustrations for the project on textured paper. This 40-page work represents the author's third wordless novel out of 15 total books created throughout his career.
The players
Jerald Pope
An Asheville-based author and former theater professional who has created 15 books including three wordless novels.
The details
The narrative uses shifting color palettes and composition to show woodland animals navigating flood conditions in a bilingual, English and Spanish format. Pope, who worked for 30 years in theater, applied his background to orchestrate the emotional arc of the animals' displacement.
Timeline
Tropical Storm Helene impacted the region in September 2024.
The book Ark was published in 2026.
The Big Picture
This publication represents a shift toward visual storytelling as a tool for community healing following the recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Helene. It highlights how local artists are increasingly bridging the gap between disaster trauma and child-centered mental health resources.
Parents and educators can use this wordless book as a non-verbal tool to help children process difficult emotions related to natural disasters. It offers an accessible way for families to discuss their experiences during the storm without relying on language barriers.
The takeaway
Artistic works like Ark demonstrate how visual media can provide comfort and continuity for communities navigating environmental disaster. Families recovering from storm damage may find that non-verbal stories offer a helpful outlet for processing shared experiences with children.
Further reading
Learn more about local ecological recovery and community narratives in the Asheville Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Asheville Citizen Times.
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