AND THEN IT RAINED...

A rainstorm chases most people indoors, where they happily do things they’d almost forgotten about during the hot weather. But it lasts too long, and the same people who were happy become grumpy. When a boy wishes for an end to it, his dad says, “Rain brings sun and sun brings rain. Then it turns around again.” The boy doesn’t like the poem, but his father assures him that he will get his weather wish. “What happened next? To find out, close the book, flip it over, and see!” The story starts anew with the sun coming out. First everyone loves the sun, and then it gets too hot. That same boy wishes for some relief, and it’s time to flip to the other side. The sun and rain activities of the supporting cast of city dwellers are at once personal and universal and mesh nicely. Greenseid’s bright, acrylic illustrations have a curvy, skewed perspective that fits perfectly. This is good wet (or dry) fun for storytime. (Picture book. 4-8)