Sunday Rain

by Rosie J. Pova, Amariah Rauscher (Illustrator)

Overview

An imaginative adventure for any child hoping to make a new friend, and for when a new place doesn’t yet feel like home.

Elliott has just moved into a new house. He spends his days with his fictional friends, immersed in a book. When an inviting Sunday rain gathers the local kids to play in the puddles, Elliott longs to join in, but he's too shy to go outside. Soon, Elliott discovers that new friendships are like a new book—you just have to plunge into the adventure.

"While a storm rages on the other side of the ship curtains at his bedroom window, Elliott buries himself in a book. A princess endlessly fights a dragon and a watercolor sea keeps 'swallowing the royal boat,' with Elliott at the helm. Later, he peeks out shyly at two puddle-jumping children on the sidewalk. 'Make some friends while I finish unpacking,' his mother urges. He joins them with a toy boat. Soon the S.S. Elliott is life-size, the puddles are an ocean and the dragon is a kite. Elliott's new house feels like home."—The New York Times Book Review, 8 Picture Books about Imagination and Identity

"The imagination-fueled adventures will restore your faith in the kindness of kids"—Parents Magazine, 5 Parents-Approved Children's Books to Read Right Now

“A quiet, sweet story blending common themes of moving, imagination, and friendship”—Kirkus Reviews

“A gorgeous book demonstrating perfectly, with understanding and empathy, the importance of gentle encouragement to face our fears and the positive effects which result from leaping right into life and right into those glorious, rainy day puddles!”—Book Monsters

“Moving may be hard, but new places can offer friendly guides to worlds of adventure, if we're brave enough to seek them out!”—Jennifer Broedel, children's author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781911373971
Publisher:	Lantana Publishing
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Series:	Lantana Global Picture Books Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 7 Years

About the Author

Rosie J. Pova is a children's author and school presenter whose mission is to inspire kids to believe in themselves, dream big, and follow their passions.  She lives in Texas.

Amariah Rauscher is the illustrator of the popular Princess Truly series. When she isn't painting, Amariah can usually be found reading a book. She lives in Illinois with her family.

Editorial Reviews

A quiet, sweet story blending common themes of moving, imagination, and friendship. —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-01-27
After moving to a new home, a child seeks friendship.

Elliott, who presents as a child of color with medium-brown skin and curly brown hair, is reading in the bedroom of his new home when he hears noises outside. Mama, who has a slightly darker complexion and darker hair of the same texture, encourages him to go play in the light rain, where other children are splashing in puddles. Once outside, Elliott draws on the story he was reading to enact an imaginary play scenario with a toy boat and dragon and princess characters. Though the brown-skinned princess appears in the cover art, the neighborhood children, who have pale skin and straight hair, end up taking on a bigger role as they happily join Elliott. Watercolor-and-charcoal illustrations with a pleasing, soft visual texture transport both the new friends and readers on a journey across the sea, to an island, and back to the city block again. Elliott returns home to find his parents serving supper (a White-appearing unnamed second parent is present on one spread). At the book’s end, Elliott returns to his book and then drifts off to sleep after reading its happy ending, delivering the same sort of conclusion to readers of this picture book.

A quiet, sweet story blending common themes of moving, imagination, and friendship. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews