________________ CM . . . . Volume XVII Number 15. . . .December 10, 2010

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Then It Rained.

Crystal J. Stranaghan. Illustrated by Rosa Espadaler.
Vancouver, BC: Gumboot Books, 2007.
24 pp., hardcover, $19.95.
ISBN 978-0-9784047-8-9.

Subject Headings:
Rain and rainfall-Juvenile fiction.
Determination (Personality trait)-Juvenile fiction.

Grades 1-3 / Ages 6-8.

Review by Tristin Burrows.

**** /4

   

Then It Rained is a fantastic read-aloud expressing the frustration that comes with a week of rain.

The weatherman promised a sky free of grey, so we planned a great picnic for our class field trip day.

internal art     This book is a great early years book that explores many early concepts such as 1-5 counting, days of the week and seasonal changes. The book also introduces new vocabulary words, such as drenched, arranged and thousand.

      The children in the book are excitedly anticipating events such as a class picnic, beach day, and baseball games. After they prepare for the event, the rain inevitably comes and ruins the activity. Children will love chiming in with the predictable "…and then it rained!" The rhyming, repetitive text makes this book a joy to read aloud.

      Another important concept outlined in this book is that sometimes things don't go according to plan. Sometimes plans get cancelled, and this book would be a great jumping-off point for discussing how to react to these changes.

      At the end of the book, the children convince their parents to get out and enjoy the rain and to splash in the mud and puddles. This playful ending will delight children and parents alike.

      The illustrations are colourful and full of detail. The placement of the text is different on each page and words of interest are bolded such as "First one drop, then two drops, then three and then four.

      I highly recommend this book for classroom and home libraries alike. The relatable subject, playful language and repetitive text makes this book a winner!

Highly Recommended.

Tristin Burrows, a grade one teacher, lives in Winnipeg, MB, with her husband and two dogs.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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