It's Raining Bats & Frogs

by Rebecca Colby

What's a witch to do when a rainstorm threatens the Halloween parade? Make it fun, that's what!--in Rebecca Colby and Steven Henry's It's Raining Bats & Frogs, now in board book format.

A little witch named Delia has been looking forward all year to flying in the annual Witch Parade. When the rumors of rain come true and the other witches start complaining, Delia takes action. Using her best magic, Delia changes the rain to cats and dogs. At first this goes over quite well, but she quickly realizes the animals cause a few issues. She must change the rain again! This time to hats and clogs. And finally, she tries bats and frogs. But each new type of rain brings its own set of problems. How will Delia save the day?

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Childrens, Witches, Holiday, Fiction, Storytime

30 pages, Board Book

First published August 11, 2015

About the author

Before writing for children, Rebecca worked for a Russian comedian, taught English in Taiwan, traveled the world as a tour director, and worked as a librarian. Born in America, she now lives in England.

Rebecca writes picture books and poetry and is represented by Kathleen Rushall of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Her books include: THE CASTLE THE KING BUILT (Nosy Crow & The National Trust, 2021), BEATRIX AND HER BUNNIES (Nosy Crow & The National Trust, 2021), CROCODILES NEED KISSES TOO (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2020), MOTOR GOOSE: RHYMES THAT GO! (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2017), CAPTAIN BLING'S CHRISTMAS PLUNDER (Albert Whitman & Co, 2017), IT'S RAINING BATS AND FROGS (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2015), THERE WAS A WEE LASSIE WHO SWALLOWED A MIDGIE (Floris Picture Kelpies, 2014), and 24 early readers in the Peapod Readers Ivy & Mack series (Collins, 2020).

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming! This books is so whimsical. Our little witch friend loves parades. The yearly parade is in danger of being cancelled due to rain. Being a witch Delia has the power to change that so she utters a spell to make it pour cats and dogs instead. At first it is thrilling and then it is a mess. I like the part of raining hats and clogs. Who doesn't want shoes raining from the sky? A witch says "Snack time girls!" while it's raining bats and frogs. That mad me giggle.

Well, after all that mess, when Delia has it simple rain, people feel a little rain never hurt anyone and they begin to march the parade. I love the scarecrows float.

I gave this 5 stars for pure joy and whimsy.

The kids thought it was a fun book. I read it to them separately, so the nephew gave it 5 stars while the niece gave it 4. I would like this book for my personal Halloween collection I might have someday.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's a witch to do when it rains on parade day? Delia knows just spell to make things better. Or does she? Turning the rain into bats and frogs sounded good at first, but sometimes things are better left the way they are. Though Delia tries to make everything better for her friends, in the end she realizes the rain makes for a fun parade day. That is until something happens the following year..... you'll have to read the book to see what happens.

It's Raining Bats & Frogs is a fantastic picture book for the Fall and Halloween. The story is fun, and engaging, and the perfect length for short attention spans. It's repetitive words, and simple rhythms are great for young children. It also makes it a great book to have in the classroom for teaching young students about listen for receptive words and rhythms.

The illustrations are great. The color scheme sets the perfect mood/tone for the story. I love the greens, purples, oranges and grays. The witches are all friendly, happy looking witches, which make it a great fit for young children. There's something fun on every page. This is one fun, Halloween themed book I'd recommend picking up. Though it can also be read through out the whole year.

Read my FULL REVIEW here http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2015/1...

[Christina Banach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t wait until Halloween to read this gorgeous picture book – this is one that demands to be read and read, whatever the time of year. Rebecca Colby has pulled off another winner. Having loved her debut ‘There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie’ I had high hopes for her second book. It did not disappoint! The story is packed with humour, inventive and charm and Steven Henry’s illustrations are a delight. If you’re looking for a bedtime book to enthrall young and old alike, or a fun resource for library or classroom story times this is the one for you.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The witches are having a parade and they are sad about the rain. No problem! They'll just cast a spell and change the raindrops to bats & frogs, etc. Of course, they find a problem with each thing they spell. the rhymes are great and the story is fun. What would you change the rain to if you could?

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute rhyming childrens book. My grandson loves rhyming and this was right on target. Funny colorful pictures! He doesn't like scary books and apart from him seeing the spider towards the end, this fit the bill. I know he will ask to have it read again.

[Laura McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun Halloween book. The illustrations and rhymes are entertaining. It would make a good storytime book since it is silly and not even a little scary.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute rhyming story that's great for Halloween. Bonus message: don't complain about a little rain because it could be raining bats and frogs instead.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it begins to rain during the annual Witch Parade, young Delia uses her rhyming spells in an attempt to fix things, changing the downfall first to cats and dogs, and then to hats and clogs, and finally to bats and frogs. Whatever she conjours for rain however, causes trouble with her fellow witches, until she finally concludes that a little water might not be so bad...

I've had It's Rainging Bats & Frogs on my to-read pile since it first came out in 2015, but every year at Halloween time, it seems to slip through the cracks. This year I managed to request it from the library in time, and although it came a little late (along with a number of other seasonal titles), I am glad to have finally read it. I enjoyed the premise quite a bit, and think the rhyming text and repetitive structure here would make for an excellent read-aloud. The accompanying artwork by Steven Henry is colorful and full of fun. I don't know that this one will be going on my favorites shelf, when it comes to the many witchy picture-books I read, but it definitely has Halloween-time appeal.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its Raining Bats and Frogs:
-Every year there is a big parade for all the witches. This year there is a problem, it started to down pour. So one witch, named Delia, decided to cast a spell on the rain and turn it into Cats and Dogs. The witch then again casts another spell and changes it to rain many other things that rhyme with cat and dog, one being Bats and Frogs. The whole time the witches have to deal with this crazy weather and all the emotion each spell brings. They soon realize that the rain did not ruin the parade but instead made it a time they will never forget. This book is so funny it will have any child laughing the whole time.
-Activity: Review rhyming words. Discuss the different rhyming words in the book. Ask the students if words rhyme, for example “Does Dog and Bug rhyme”. Then have a chart and words already made. Have the students sort the words based on the words that rhyme. After go over the chart as a class.

Colby, R., & Henry, S. (2015). It's raining bats & frogs. New York: Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit)]

Delia is excited to participate in the annual Halloween Parade but when it starts raining she decides to do a little magic. First she turns the rain into cats and dogs, but that just didn't work. Then she changes it to hats and clogs, but the other witches started fighting over them. Then she changed the rain to bats and frogs, but that didn't work either! Eventually, Delia figures out the perfect thing and the parade goes on despite the foul weather.

It's Raining Bats & Frogs is the perfect picture book to read this close to Halloween. It's full of witches flying broomsticks and witchy things. There's also a big Halloween Parade at the end that is lots of fun.

The illustrations are more on the adorable side than spooky but the coloration gives a very dark and foreboding touch to the story. The witches and the animals in this book are all very happy with friendly faces and that makes this perfect for young readers who aren't quite looking for something scary yet.

[Julie Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little picture book story which would be perfect for Hallowe'en reading, but works any time of the year. Delia the witch tries to help out when it rains on the annual Witch Parade....but things don't always turn out quite as she planned and the poor witches get in quite a mess. I won't spoil the outcome, but will say I loved the ending....just right for children to make up their own stories about what happened next! The illustrations complement the words and there is plenty to look for in each spread. The rhyming spells are a treat...I'd certainly recommend this book to all budding witches out there.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny story and especially fun illustrations. A group of witches are having their Halloween parade when it begins to rain. The rain is ruining their parade so the witch Delia decides to cast a spell and have it rain cats and dogs...but that doesn't go so well...so she tries bats and frogs. Can she find a spell that will allow them to finish their parade.

My 3rd grade students got a real kick out of this story, especially since for my Halloween costume I was wearing a rain poncho, boots and carrying an umbrella with stuffed cats and dogs hanging from it with a sign, "It's raining cats and dogs."

[Sarah Broadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing picture book! The illustrations by Steven Henry bring out the mischief in Rebecca Colby's text and make the story come alive with each page turn. I love the way the rhyme works well with the storyline and had me guessing right to the end. A fun book to read when it's raining outside. At least it's not slime!

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the premise of "It could always be worse.." consider a rain storm that messes with you plan...would you rather have it rain cats and dogs, hats and clogs (can't have to many shoes right? ) A really fun story with a purpose! Come to fine out...rain isn't so bad!!

[Carmela · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! I enjoyed the little twist on the last page too. :-)

[Joey Gremillion · Rating 5 out of 5]

too much of something CAN be a bad thing...even rain

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly fresh. Clever use of rhyme to forward the story. Adorable art. Cute resolution to problem. Terrific last page.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little witch changes the rains into cats and dogs, then bats and frogs, then hats and clogs, etc etc. I like the illustration style! The halloween parade in the rain at the end was cute, and made me wonder what I would do on Halloween if it rained

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teachers might want to add this title from the United Kingdom to their collection of books for Halloween although it would work well at any time of the year. Delia is a young witch who loves riding her broom during the annual Halloween Parade, but when it starts to rain, she tries to use magic to change the weather. Instead of raindrops, the sky is filled with cats and dogs, and when that doesn't work so well, she modifies her spell to having hats and clogs fall. In rhyming fashion, things go from bad to worse until Delia has to rescind all those spells and just stick with the drippy weather. It's all silly fun, but young readers will find it quite delightful. The images of various animals and objects tumbling from the sky were funny, and the idea was creative and might stretch readers' imaginations as they pondered what witches can do. The book lost its appeal for me after the spells had been cast, and the witches moved into parade formation, though.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rain is ruining the annual Witch Parade, so well-meaning Delia decides to use her magic to change the “boring rain”. First, she changes the raindrops to cats and dogs, then hats and clogs, then frogs and bats. Each change causes more havoc than the last for the witches and the parade. Finally, Delia realizes the rain was not really so bad after all and uses a spell to bring it back. The parade goes on as usual with a few twists: the floats really do float, the band engages in synchronized swimming rather than synchronized marching and water balloons abound. The denouement: “Everyone agreed it was the best parade ever …until the year it snowed.” Delia’s rhyming spells break up the narration and witches’ dialogues. The muted palette of the engaging illustrations captures the gloom of a rainy day. This imaginative Halloween tale is ideal as a read-aloud for preschoolers or primary students.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mini and I have had a great time reading all of our spooktacular books this month and finding quite a few new favs to add to our list. This book is indeed one of them. The annual witch parade is about to begin, but it is raining!! Delia decides to try and fix it by casting a spell to change the rain into silly combos. How about cats and dogs, hats and clogs, or bats and frogs? Each one seems great at first, but the witches definitely start complaining after a bit. Delia quickly learns that maybe the rain wasn't so bad after all. This book is full of wonderful illustrations, quirky humor and the spells are sung to the tune of "It's raining, it's pouring". Incredibly imaginative and just pure fun!!!

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun Halloween book. Ms. Colby has written a great rhyming, whimsical story about how one little witch tries to do good, and ends up making it worse! The illustrations are hilarious and make you smile. There are little word-bubbles on the spreads that add a lot of humor – “I never met a cat I didn’t like.” “Dognabit! Give me my broom back!” – that kids (or parents) will love! I really like how Delia has a familiar (a witch’s magical animal, like a black cat) – which is a raven. Ms. Colby and Mr. Henry have created a great Halloween book!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delia the witch loves flying in the Halloween parade, but this year it is raining and the witches are complaining! She tries to craft different spells to make it rain things like cats and dogs and hats and clogs, but each new spell comes with its own set of troubles. Eventually, she decides that the rain is not so bad and the parade this year is one of their most successful yet.

This story would make a fine read aloud for a Halloween themed storytime. The rhyming spells Delia casts are quite fun to read aloud and the unexpected consequences will have listeners laughing and giggling with delight. I would recommend this book for purchase by any public library.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it starts raining, threatening to ruin the Witch Parade, Delia decides to make a change. With her wand, she changes the boring raindrops to cats and dogs. At first it works, but then things come to a halt. How about hats and clogs instead? That just causes fighting between the witches. What about bats and frogs? Eeew! Slime! Forget it. So Delia goes back to water and suddenly the raindrops don't seem so bad. "Thank goodness it's only water." And the parade is back on track.

Possible sequencing choice.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delia tries to make the Witches Parade better by changing the rain to cats and dogs, then hats and clogs, even bats and frogs. But none of these changes is very good. Eventually, she goes back to the boring raindrops. And not only are all the witches happier with the rain, so are the floats which actually float, and the marching band which learns synchronized swimming! As a matter of fact the whole parade turned out to be the best one yet… until the year it snowed! http://julianaleewriter.com/books-ali...

[Bobbi Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca’s new book is spook-tacular! Delia the witch has been looking forward to the Halloween Witch Parade all year. When the day finally arrives, it starts to rain on their parade. Delia decides that rain is boring and uses her magic to spice things up. Now the real fun begins! In this enchanting – all puns intended! -- twist on a cumulative tale, Rebecca’s wordplay is just delightful, full of surprises, and the perfect read aloud!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Raining Bats & Frogs is a delightful picture book with a unique take on ‘be careful what you wish for.’ Delia is a feisty little witch who takes charge, messes up, and then eventually sets things back to right. I very much enjoyed this fun story and the beautiful, humorous illustrations that go with it. A perfect read aloud book for classroom and library story-times. The fun punchline makes me hope for a sequel!

[Laurie Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the witches are looking forward to the big parade, but then storm clouds gather. Delia is determined to save the day, so she waves her magic wand and chants a rhyming spell. Perfect…except it’s not. Get set to laugh out loud at the disasters Delia creates. Rebecca Colby’s humorous picture book is one kids will want to read again and again. And don’t be surprised if they chant their own funny spells.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a little girl witch and can do spells, when it starts raining right before the Annual Halloween parade, you just want to help. Unfortunately changing from rain “drops” to raining cats and dogs, or even bats and frogs, doesn’t necessarily please. A story that repeats with a few rhymes, too, and lots of funny illustrations create a laugh-out-loud story for young kids, especially at this time of the year.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's raining during the witch parade. Oh, no! One of the witches decides to make everything better by magically changing the rain to different things--cats & dogs, bats & frogs, etc. Chaos ensues. In the end, they realize that rain falling from the sky is better than anything else. They are so grateful when other things go away.

Alright for preschool storytimes.