And then it Rained. . .

And then it rained…

And what a long time since it has rained! A whole apartment building full of overjoyed neighbors revel in the raininess. It’s the perfect day to read a book on dinosaurs, to stay home and bake bread, or even to go out for a splishy-splashy adventure to a café with your father for a bowl of hot soup.

But when it keeps raining day after day after day, baking bread becomes dull, and splishy-splashy walks become plain old wet ones and not at all adventuresome. You begin to long for the kind of weather where you’d want to eat ice cream, not soup. Naturally everyone starts grumbling….Everyone, that is, except for the wise father of one grouchy little boy because…

The sun comes out! And what a long time since it has come! A whole apartment building full of overjoyed neighbors celebrate the sunniness. For it’s the perfect day to go roller skating, visit the bakery, or put on your shiny cool sunglasses and stroll out for a sunny day adventure, including a ringside seat at an outdoor café with your father for a dish of ice cream.

But when the sun gets hotter and hotter, day after day after day, roller skating gets exhausting, and a walk becomes less and less of an adventure and more and more uncomfortable. You begin to long for the kind of weather where you’d want to eat soup, not ice cream. Naturally everyone starts grumbling….Everyone, that is, except for the wise father of one grouchy little boy because…

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4-It’s a wet day in the city, with the rain “plum-drum-trum-trum-trumming” onto the streets, buildings, and delighted citizens. Everyone enjoys a break from the heat, relishing indoor activities like reading, cooking, and dancing. Outside, a boy and his father delight in walking through puddles and eating hot soup at a cafe. Soon enough, however, the rain becomes dreary and boring, and the people long for the sun to return. Fortunately for readers, all they have to do is flip the book over, open the cover, and start reading the second story to discover the joys of a warm summer day. Brilliantly colored acrylic illustrations, cleverly rendered from a variety of perspectives, are well matched to the lively onomatopoeic language. A wide variety of characters-all of whom appear in both tales-come alive with only a few lines of text. All in all, this “two-for-one” picture book is thoroughly enjoyable, especially for reading aloud.
Sue Morgan, Tom Kitayama Elementary School, Union City, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. This topsy-turvy book can be started at either end. “And then it rained. . .” begins the story of a little boy and his father who venture out into the city during a rainstorm and go to a cafe for hot soup. Meanwhile, in a nearby apartment various people react to the storm, first with contentment, then by becoming grouchy. As the boy and his father walk the rainy pavement again, the boy wishes that the rain would stop, the father promises that it will, and readers are advised to flip the book over and see what will happen. In “And Then the Sun Came Out,” children will follow the same boy and his father as the sun comes and heats their city neighborhood. The fresh concept will intrigue children, and the stories, both of which are well-written, will amuse them. Illustrating the text are large acrylic paintings defined by rhythm, movement, rounded forms, and warm, vivid colors. Carolyn Phelan
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