Come On, Rain!

Come On, Rain!

Author: Karen Hesse

Illustrator: Jon J. Muth

Ages: 3-5 Grades

Rating: 4 Stars

Summary: Tess and several others including her mamma, her friends, and their mamma’s wish for a rain storm to put somewhat of an end to the scorching summer heat. When the rain finally comes, they celebrate by dancing in the rain.

Karen Hesse tells a straightforward story of a young girl wanting a rain storm to end a dreary dry spell. Hesse tells this story in almost a poetic way with the words in a poem format, as well. And the water color illustrations compliment the story brilliantly using all the right colors to help the readers see the exhaustion caused by heat and the joy created by the simplicity of the rainstorm. I enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me of when I was a child. It was always a favorite thing for my friends and me, to play in the rainstorms in the heat of the summer. I could almost recall the sensation of cool rain drops on my skin in the midst of the heat. Hesse uses such descriptive words to help the reader feel like they are in the story.

This story would be a great addition to any classroom library. It could even be used to discuss the seasons or the importance of rain and all of the things in nature that need it to grow and survive during the heat of the summer months. It might even inspire students to write a story in a different way or illustrate a story of their own with water colors.