I Am the Rain

This cross-curricular gem is a beautiful tribute to the many colors, shapes, and fluid forms of water, striking artwork and rhyming verses tell the story of the shifting, flowing, frozen, molten, misty matter. It explains the three states of water, its cycle, and takes a deeper look at each illustration, posing questions and exploring answers concerning everything from the color of water and why it rains to what causes frost and fog.

— “Starred” Foreword Reviews, (issue March/April 2018)

Through many types of weather and the different seasons, water tells readers about its many forms. “Sometimes I’m the rain cloud / and sometimes I’m the rain.” Water can make rainbows and can appear to be different colors. Water is a waterfall, a wave, an ocean swell, a frozen pond, the snow on your nose, a cloud, frost, a comet, a part of you. Throughout, Paterson’s rhyming verses evoke images of their own: “Soon the summer sun is back / and warms me with its rays. / I rise in rumbling thunderheads / like castles in the haze,” though at times word order seems to have been chosen for rhyme rather than meaning (“In fall I sink into a fog / and blanket chilly fields, / with pumpkins touched by morning frost / the harvest season yields”). Backmatter includes a diagram of the water cycle that introduces and describes each step with solid vocabulary, including “Collection” as a step in the process; “The Science Behind the Poetry,” which unpacks some of the poetic language and phrases; some water activities and explorations; conservation tips; and a list of other books from the publisher about water. Paterson’s full- and double-page-spread illustrations are just as magical as his verse, showing water in its many forms from afar and close up. Few people appear on his pages, but the vast majority of those are people of color. A lyrical and educational look at the water cycle. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

— Kirkus Reviews (January 2018)

The water cycle is often a source of fascination for young readers. Here, Paterson crafts a poetic, visually affecting ode to the work of water, narrated by water itself. An African-American child gazes out her rain-glazed window: “Sometimes I’m the rain cloud and sometimes I’m the rain,” the poem begins. A spread shows white-water rafters careening down a waterfall. The water then becomes a wave at the beach: “Once I was a waterfall/ but now I’m just a wave./ At high tide I’m the breaking swell/ that daring surfers brave.” Paterson switches up the format with a long, vertical view of canyons and a comet passing overhead: “You’ll find me/ in the comet high/ circling the stars./ I’m also carving canyons deep/ on Earth and cousin Mars.” Paterson’s luminous, saturated paintings provide both a sense of openness and textural detail, while the poem demonstrates how water exists in and connects all things, even people. Back matter—including an infographic on the water cycle—and science-based q&as smoothly dovetail with the pensive tone of Paterson’s words and images.

—Publishers Weekly (March 2018)

Captivating! From the onset, its words compel. An unseen force pushing you forward with an irresistible effect. A voice leading deeper into its identity, until you feel a living connection in its cycle. What a great way to enjoy science, and learn the amazing cycle of water!

— Children’s Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review (July 2018)

I Am the Rain captures the imagination through whimsical images and compelling words. As a mother and a scientist, I seek out stories that hold special meaning about the natural world and are shared in a way that speak directly to a child’s mind and heart. This book delivers both in a thoughtful and beautiful way. It’s sure to be a well loved favorite!

—Dr. Abigail Derby Lewis, Senior Conservation Ecologist, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL (Dec. 2017)

Paterson’s rhyming story begins with a child looking out of a rain-covered window and ends with a pair of lime-colored boots in a puddle. It perfectly bespeaks Dawn Publications commitment to getting children out into the world to explore nature first hand. It’s a large task to steer young children through the cycle of condensation-percipitation-collection-evaporation. Paterson’s spacious illustrations and animated narrative do a brilliant job of just that. As usual, Dawn has included followup activities for teachers and parents and online links for further study

—Retailing Insight, A. Jedrziewski (May/June/INATS/BookExpo issue 2018)

“Because of me the land is green. I’m why the sky is blue. All of life depends on me. I’m even part of you.” A simply outstanding picture book for children ages 4 to 8, author and illustrator John Patterson’s lyrical verses present water in its many colors, shapes, and forms as it follows its natural cycle through the seasons. From rain to rivers, from fog to thunderheads, from snowflakes to ocean waves – water is always changing. Along the way, water speaks for itself, connecting deeply with readers. The evocative illustrations highlight water’s many moods. “I can show you rainbows/ in mist or morning dew/ I can be a muddy flood/or a pool of aqua blue.” Teachers and parents will appreciate the Explore More section in the back of this entertaining as well as informative picture book that includes “The Science Behind the Poetry,” STEM activities, water conservation tips, and more. Simply stated, “I Am the Rain” is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for young children. It should be noted for personal reading lists that “I Am the Rain” is also available in a paperback edition, and in a digital book format.

— Children’s Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review (April 2018)