When the Rain Comes by Alma Fullerton and illustrated by Kim La Fave, Pajama Press, 9781772780123, 2017
Format: Hardcover
Rating: (1-5, 5 is an excellent or starred review) 5
Genre: Picture book
What did you like about the book? This is a story of a young girl who lives in Sri Lanka. She is going to help her family plant rice seedlings and is standing with an ox and a cart of rice seedlings when a flash flood occurs. Knowing how important these rice seedlings are to her family’s survival, Malini ignores her own safety and leads the ox to higher ground and to safety. The illustrations and the text both give the sense of gravity and danger to the situation. The blustery wind and the driving wind, along with the cries of Malini’s family urging her to leave the ox and come to safety show the drama of the choice Malini must make. I especially liked at the end of the book when the author explained just how important rice was to the poor people of Sri Lanka and it put Malini’s actions into a context.
Anything you didn’t like about it? I liked everything about this book.
To whom would you recommend this book? This is a great book to have in a library that fosters multi-culturalism. The story is engaging and children will learn about the culture of Sri Lanka through this book.
Who should buy this book? Elementary school libraries and all public libraries
Where would you shelve it ? Children’s Books
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Sandra Pacheco, ESL teacher, Washington, D.C.
Date of review: March 8, 2017
Youth Services Book Review 
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