Beat the Rain

by Stephanie Ebert, Alison de Villiers (Illustrator)

Overview

Dark clouds roll in as thunder rumbles through the streets of a small town. Two children team up with town locals in a rhythmic race against the rain, rushing to make it home before the downpour begins. But when they’re just a moment too slow, the storm catches up—snapping the stoplight and leaving everyone stranded in the heart of town. In a surprising twist, an unexpected hero swoops in, guiding traffic safely through the chaos with the grace of a conductor leading a community concerto!

Beat the Rain is a colorful and whimsical children’s read-aloud book that captures the vibrant culture and charm of daily life through rhythm, repetition, and onomatopoeia. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781960803467
Publisher:	Catalyst Press
Publication date:	06/02/2026
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 1.50(h) x 9.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Ebert lives in South Africa with her three children. She spent her South African childhood writing stories and climbing avocado trees, before going to university in the USA to study English Literature. When she is not writing her own stories, she enjoys working with her local community to see more South African stories come to life. She is the editor of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, annotated for teen and middle grade readers (Owl’s Nest, 2024) and co-author of How to Stop a Train: The Story of How Mohandas Gandhi became the Mahatma with Kathryn Pillay (Pan Macmillan, 2024). More information about her writing for adults and children is found at Stephebert.com 

Alison de Villiers lives in Hilton, South Africa with her husband and two children. While she didn’t study art or illustration, she grew up in a home where art was a big part of her childhood. After studying a Bachelor in Science, she ended up making her way back to her passion for creating. As a stay-at-home mom and freelancer, Alison finds herself involved in a variety of creative projects from painting murals, to watercolor commissions, woodwork, sewing, interior decorating and gardening. 

Read an Excerpt

A cloud tiptoes out across the sky. A bit shy. 

But we look up and see it. 

Hurry with your school bags, children! We’ve got to beat the rain! 

The branches of the trees begin to bend. A packet blows away. 

Hurry with the shopping, grannies! 

We’ve got to beat the rain! We’ve got to beat the rain!