Rain Book

This is a story about the cyclical nature of the natural world and how rain is so important to both the animals and the vegetation. As the story begins we see that the ground is dry and cracked from the heat, but then each of the animals notice changes which indicate that the rain is coming. Once the rains have been, the earth is rejuvenated and changes from dry, red soil to lush vegetation and this is appreciated by each of the animals in their own way: the lion is happy again enjoying the shade of the new foliage, the rhino is happy to be able to wallow in "cool, soft, squelchy mud" and the baboons can eat fresh, juicy fruit again. The story then turns full circle as the sun dries the ground and the soil starts to crack again before the rains arrive once more. The necessity of rain to this environment is shown quite clearly, gently explaining to the reader that without the rain there would be no food to eat, no water to drink and no foliage to shelter under from the relentless sun. In the western world we rarely give a second thought to the rain, but this book raises the issue of how important the rain is for the natural world to survive. Rain is illustrated in a big and bold style which suits the story very well and complements the lyrical text that makes this ideal for reading aloud. (Ages 2 and over) --Miranda WarrenRead More