How our children need their sense of Wonder! Gently, with small, quiet, containable pictures, clouds gather and a storm is unleashed. There's a great power in storms and some of our youngest are not comfortable with what they perceive as untamed violence flashing all around them. But, out of this rumble, from the top right hand corner of a very white, calm page, a raindrop is born. He's a very happy raindrop. Delighted not only to be alive but to be a part of this great, big, wonderful world. Aha, then that old enemy fear enters the picture. What if instead of being a flying raindrop, it turns out he's a falling raindrop? Know the feeling? Some children imagine all the possibilities of things around them. These are the What If children who think things through and envision the worst. But, if you live that way, you miss the glory and the joy of the whole ride. But, for our raindrop there is the wonder of the water cycle. He falls, cloaked in fear, and then finds himself rising again as water vapor! He has another chance and perhaps this time, he'll fall with confidence and curiosity. Living well with hope and confidence entwines with the story of the water cycle.
48 pages 978-1582463124 Ages 4-7
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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"It was a stormy day," begins this simple story and you see a glimpse of dark clouds on the facing page. Oooh, things start getting interesting as you go on with lightning and thunder and then magic: "a raindrop was born." He comes flying down out of the top right hand corner of the next page and looks a bit like a fish jumping out of the sky. "I'm alive, " he shouts!!! Can you feel it? People get goosebumps reading this part. Now, this book works on a couple of levels. You learn all about the water cycle as the raindrop falls and falls and then lands in a campfire and becomes steam. Back up he goes to fall yet again as a raindrop. But, this little guy has feelings. As he falls for the first time, he gets scared. He's not at all sure what he will land on and he misses the whole joyful experience of falling just worrying so much. (Sound familiar to anyone?) There's great joy, fear, suspense and hope in this one little book about this one little raindrop. Sounds like a great way to explore feelings and the wonder of nature with some young listeners.
48 pages 978-1582463124 Ages 4-7
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
