About This Book
Reach for this book when the sky turns gray and your child starts to feel the first jitters of an approaching storm. It is a sensory masterpiece that transforms a potentially scary weather event into a rhythmic, wonder-filled experience of the natural world. By following a summer storm as it travels from the countryside to the city and the seashore, the story validates a child's natural apprehension while providing the soothing reassurance of a parent's presence and the cyclical nature of weather. Charlotte Zolotow uses poetic language to demystify the sights and sounds of thunder and lightning, turning them into a shared adventure. The book's gentle pacing and classic illustrations help children practice patience as they wait for the clouds to clear. It culminates in a beautiful, hopeful surprise that reminds young readers that even the loudest storms lead to something magnificent, making it an essential tool for building emotional resilience and a love for science.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
1. DISTRESS: The vivid descriptions and loud onomatopoeia used for thunder (rrrrrMMMMMMMDDDDDDDRRRRR) may be distressing for children who are afraid of storms or sensitive to loud noises. However, the presence of the calm mother figure acts as a protective buffer. 2. CONVERSATION: None.
Ideal Reader
A preschooler or early elementary student who is fascinated by the weather but perhaps a bit nervous when the lights flicker or the wind picks up. It is perfect for a child who enjoys descriptive, rhythmic prose.
Parent Prep
Be prepared to reassure children who are nervous about weather that the characters are safe and the storm is a natural, passing event. Practice reading the thunder sounds in a way that feels exciting rather than threatening.
Age Experience
Younger children (3-4) will focus on the sensory sounds and the comfort of the mother-child bond. Older children (6-8) will appreciate the shift in geography and the scientific transition from heat to rain to the refraction of light in the rainbow.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many weather books that are strictly clinical, this Caldecott Honor book uses high-literary prose to capture the 'feeling' of a storm, treating the weather as a character in itself.
Read plot summary
The narrative follows the progression of a summer storm across three distinct landscapes: the rolling hills of the countryside, the busy streets of the city, and the sandy shores of the ocean. A young boy and his mother observe the changing sky, the sudden hush of nature, the dramatic arrival of wind and rain, and the booming thunder. The story concludes with the storm passing and the appearance of a vibrant rainbow.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The boy asks his mother many questions about the storm. What is one question you have when you see the sky change color?
2
The author describes the thunder as a 'rrrrrMMMMMMMDDDDDDDRRRRR' sound. How would you describe the sound of rain hitting the roof?
3
Different animals and people reacted to the storm in different ways. How did the birds stay safe during the rain?
4
At the very end, the storm leaves behind a rainbow. Why do you think the author chose to end the story with this 'special happen'?
