Module 2 Book Reviews: Picture Books

Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman

Bibliography
Lehman, Barbara. 2007. Rainstorm. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 13: 978-0-618-75639-1.

Plot Summary
On a rainy day, a lonely boy finds a key, unlocks a trunk, travels down a secret path and emerges from a lighthouse to find new playmates for rainy days.

Critical Analysis
A proper little boy in a very big house has only a ball to play with on a rainy day, until he finds a key that unlocks the imagination! The magical path leads him to a beautiful lighthouse, sunny skies, playmates, bare-footed romping, and all sorts of other exciting, youthful pleasures. Later, his newfound friends come to visit him and suddenly the big house isn't quite so dull and the rainy skies no longer matter. This wordless picture book is illustrated with soft, soothing watercolors, gouache, and ink that add warmth to the little boy's otherwise dreadfully boring day. With pages rich in detail and storyline, look for famous works of art, the boy's changing appearance and most especially, look forward to the magic of a rainy day!

Review Excerpts
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Now even nonreaders can have a magic adventure story of their very own; they'll treasure it."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (Carol Schene): "This appealing rainy-day tale will stir the imagination of those who have ever looked for something to do on a gloomy day."

Connections
Caldecott Medal Winning Wordless Picture Books:
Weisner, David. FLOTSAM. ISBN-13: 9780618194575.
Weisner, David. TUESDAY. ISBN-13: 9780395870822.