Another art-inspiring picture book with luscious block print illustrations.

Beautiful woodcut illustrations that are detailed and charming. Wonderful poetry that is accessible to my preschooler and soothing for bedtime.

A rare picture book featuring exceptionally beautiful wood-cut prints and a lyrical poem about rain and domestic life on a seaside farm. A pure treasure.

Spring showers outside? Share this rainstorm story to enrich real-life experiences and build background knowledge. The simple rhyme scheme builds, mimicking the pace of an afternoon shower: “Clouds swell. Winds blow bolder. Weather changes. Air grows colder.” Though the storm depicted in the expressive art is intense, everybody stays safe and cozy in the farmhouse and barn. By nightfall, the front has moved through and skies are clear. Pair with the nonfiction “Raindrops Roll” by April Pulley Sayre for another rhyme treatment of the same topic, accompanied by dazzling close-up photographs.

Day starts and the morning is bright, "Blue on blue. White on white." But as the day moves along, the clouds begin to grow and blue skies turn from gray to black as a storm is looming. Lightning flashes, thunder roars and rain falls on the farm. The rain falls and falls... will it ever stop? Slowly, slowly the sky lightens and the rain slows. Muddy puddles for splashing and sunset bring a clear and quiet night. This beautiful picture book filled with colorful etchings leads us through a rainy day. Gentle text ushers in the storm and leads us back to the quiet safety when the rain finally ends. A wonderful book to share with children who worry about thunder and lightning or those who love a mud puddle to splash in.

lovely illustrations and sweet rhymes

As a family goes about working and playing on their seaside farm, the bright "blue on blue" of a clear sky turns to a wild and windy "gray on gray," ushering in a noisy, tumultuous storm: "Thunder! Lightning! Raging, roaring. Rain on rain on rain is pouring." Concise, lyrical language heightens the drama of the cloudburst, while the gentle curves and careful shading of the illustrations create a soothing, nostalgic warmth. If you love the luminous scratchboard art in Blue on Blue, don't miss Susan Marie Swanson's The House in the Night, which is also illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes.

Picture books newsletter September 2014