Illustrated by Koshiro Hata
Translated by Emily Balistrieri
Ages: 3-6
Review by Heidi Frankel
redcometpress.com
This delightful picture book by Yuko Ohnari opens with an adorable little boy exclaiming, “It’s so hot! The ground’s burning hot! Hot, hot!” Dark clouds gather, and the air shifts. The first raindrops fall, slow and scattered—then suddenly, the skies open up. At first, he is unhappy with the sudden downpour, but he soon discovers the magic of rain.
As the rain pours down, he notices new scents—the fresh aroma of the sky and earth—and new sounds as heavy raindrops pound against a yellow umbrella: “The rain is singing!” Soon, he abandons the umbrella, gleefully embracing the rain’s invitation to play.
He runs through the rain, leaps, and—KER-SPLASH! Then, lifting his face to the sky, he lets the water stream down his cheeks and whispers,
“All the raindrops come to me,”
“Let’s play!” they say.
“Let’s play!” I tell the rain.
“Come on then, more!”
He stands still for a moment, letting the downpour drench him, reveling in the joy of nature and experiencing pure delight in its rhythm.
Translated from Japanese by Emily Balistrieri, Ohnari’s lyrical text features playful sound words that make it perfect for reading aloud:
“KER-BABABA. ZUBABABABA. PLIP-PLOONK. KER-PLUNK. PLOOPOOPOOPOOPOOP.”
Koshiro Hata’s beautifully detailed illustrations bring the boy’s neighborhood to life, capturing the lush grass, friendly bugs, and varied forms of rain—from long streaks of water to fat, shimmering drops bouncing off puddles. His expressive body language mirrors the childlike wonder of the story, from huddling in the downpour to exclaiming, “Sopping wet feels good.”
After splishing and splashing, the rain clears, leaving behind a newfound appreciation for its beauty. The story ends on a whimsical note, with the little boy in his bathtub, holding his yellow umbrella under the cascading shower—a perfect reflection of his playful imagination.
Ohnari’s book is a delightful, sensory-rich celebration of childhood joy. It is an engaging read-aloud that captures the simple pleasures of playing in the rain and is perfect for grandparents to enjoy with their little ones.
