Our twins are fascinated by melting ice, thunderstorms, sunshine, rainbows and the whole gambit of weather. Spring is a wonderful time to learn about Weather. We often seem to experience all four seasons of weather in one week right now.
Today I am focusing on Rain.
If you are having a Rainy Day, these are the perfect books to kick off your weather unit or have a story time for toddlers and preschoolers.
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14 Best Picture Books for a Rainy Day
1. Rain by Manja Stojic
This is a stunning book. It is high on my list of favorite books and was a delightful introduction to a wonderful author. RAIN takes place in Africa as all the animals detect a coming storm with their senses. A beautiful story about our senses, rain, and the cyclical nature of water. Manja Stojic is at her best with Rain. 2+
2. Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen
This is a darling collection of poems. They are sure to fit a variety of situations, but we loved the page of full of poems about rain. We read them before our Rainy Day Walk. Michael Rosen has compiled a range of poems on a huge variety of issue, including two of his own. They are all brief and perfect for young readers. The sweet, soft illustrations were done by one of our favorite illustrators, Bob Graham. He adds character and humor to each page and topic. A wonderful introduction to poetry for young children. 2+
3. The Big Storm: A Very Soggy Counting Book by Nancy Tafuri
Fun books about rain storms. A group of animals gather in a cave and then disperse when they get a startling surprise. We enjoyed how Tafuri builds in counting up and down from 10. 2+
4. Rain by Linda Ashman
An old man is grumpy when he wakes up and sees rain falling outside. A little boy is excited to don rainy weather gear and head outside to pretend to be a frog. What will happen when the two meet? 2+
You May Also Like: Linda Ashman Author Study
5. It’s Raining by Gail Gibbons
A great non-fiction text about rain. Where it comes from, kinds of clouds, and different kinds of rain. This helped me answer a lot of my son’s questions. 2+
6. A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats
Ezra Jack Keats is most famous for his book A Snowy Day. Like most, I completely adore this book. However, my personal Keats favorite is A Letter to Amy. It is a sweet story about Peter, the same little boy from Snowy Day, a letter, and a storm. It is not focused on weather, but it plays a large role in the story. 3+
7. An Evening at Alfie’s by Shirley Hughes
I can find an excuse to put a Shirley Hughes book on almost any list and this is no exception. This is without a doubt my favorite Shirley Hughes book and the one I remember best from my childhood. Alfie’s parents go out for the night, leaving Alfie and Annie Rose with a sitter. Shortly after they leave a large rainstorm hits and the roof starts to leak. A child sized adventure full of curiosity and warmth. 3+
8. The Searcher and Old Tree by David McPhail
The Searcher, a raccoon, and Old Tree, a large old tree are the two characters in this simple, yet dramatic story. The Searcher goes out, fills his belly with found delights, and then snuggles into the familiar branches of Old Tree for the night. He sleeps through an incredible storm that the tree withstands. An interesting story about trees, weather, animals, and trust. We loved the illustrations of the storm. 3+
9. Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld
Cloudette is below average and size and is feeling quite useless until one day she is blown to a new area in desperate need of a rain storm. Sweet and comical, this is a nice light hearted book about weather. 2+
10. Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle
A thunderstorm makes a sudden appearance in a city and encourages people to find shelter. Dynamic language that imitates the rain and gorgeous illustrations by the talented G. Brian Karas together creates a sweet story about all kinds of people drawn together and the magic of a story.
11. Sunday Rain by Rosie J. Pova
SUNDAY RAIN shares the magic of a rainy day. With delightful onomatopoeia, this gentle story is about a little boy who makes new friends after a rainstorm. Full of imagination and wonderful free play, this sings of good old fashioned rainy day fun.
12. Where Do They Go When it Rains? by Gerda Muller
WHERE DO THEY GO WHEN IT RAINS? is a story about a rainy day in the country. A set of twins go adventuring with their cousin and a rainstorm inspires a question about where the animals go when it rains. The text is a bit lengthy so better for sharing on a lap or with a slightly older child, but it is a playful story about simple explorations and not being afraid to get messy and ask questions.
13. Rain by Cynthia Rylant
No matter your feelings on rain when you picked up this book, when you put it down you will be convinced that is glorious. Cynthia Rylant, in her calm assuredness, is just that convincing. Rain is approaching as the book opens and all of the animals, and humans, are heading home. This is a perfect read aloud for a rainy day any time of year.
14. Let’s Go Puddling! by Emma Perry
First of all, I love the use of puddling as a verb. Swimming, leaf peeping, sledding – puddling. They all feel like childhood experiences everyone should have at least once. This book is full of joy. I love the watery feel of the illustrations. They are a perfect reflection of the puddles and joy. The text is joyful and snappy. I said joy three times now, but that is truly what you feel when you read this. Childlike joy. It’s a delight.
This post was transferred here from my other site, Bambini Travel, as part of my effort to put all book related posts in one helpful spot!
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