RAINFLOWERS
by Ann Turner & illustrated by Robert J. Blake
A brief, lyrical text and exquisitely observed, beautifully composed watercolors evoke the dramatic passage of a late summer thunderstorm: looming clouds; creatures of the wild and the farm, scurrying before wind and rain; storm-tossed trees and fields. ``And when the sun burst through...the rain dripped from the barn door onto my tongue...and robins bloomed like flowers in the wet, black trees.'' Skillfully selecting memorable images, author and illustrator distill the experience to convey the joy of perceiving changes wrought by light and weather on a familiar landscape, educating both eye and mind. (Picture book. 3-8)