Come On, Rain!

by Karen Hesse, Jon J. Muth (Illustrator)

"Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse recreates the body and soul-renewing experience of a summer downpour after a sweltering city heat wave. Lyrically written and lovingly illustrated." - School Library Journal

"Hesse's language is a quiet, elegant surge.... Muth contributes fine watercolor atmospherics." - Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Summer, Fiction, Poetry, Family, African American

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Karen Hesse is an American author known for her children's and young adult literature, often set in historical contexts. She received the Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997), a verse novel about a young girl enduring the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Hesse’s works frequently tackle complex themes, as seen in Witness (2001), which explores the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1920s Vermont town, and The Music of Dolphins (1996), which tells the story of a girl raised by dolphins. Her novel Stowaway (2000) is based on the real-life account of a boy aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavour. Over her career, Hesse has received numerous accolades, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and the Phoenix Award for Letters from Rifka (1992).

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the colors of this book. It’s about a time that I really don’t like; those hot muggy days you can hardly breath and people are praying for rain to keep things from dying. I can’t stand that time. It makes me want to live in Scotland.

A Mama is taking care of her wilting plants and a girl is wanting to cool off by putting on her swimsuit. They all want rain. The girl sees the clouds coming and she gets her friends to put on her swimsuit and come over so she can convince Mama to let her put hers on. The rain comes and the girls dance and giggle in the streets. All the Mama’s stick their heads out their doors and see the girls in the rain and they all smile and join them too.

I love the scene of a big group party in the rain. I don’t like the hot, but I do like dancing in the rain. This looks glorious. I love the infectious nature of the children reminding their parents to be young at heart and remind them of having fun.

The niece thought this was a fun story. She and the nephew both wanted to dance in the rain. They thought it looked like fun. The niece gave this 3 stars and the nephew gave it 3 too.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I felt immediately engulfed in the drooping, oppressive heat of a long, rainless summer... the expectancy and the urgent NEED for the rain to come and break the spell... the sheer delight of the first raindrops and the mounting glee as the rain pours down. This is a lovely, lovely story from two bright stars in the children's book galaxy. I think this was done before Muth became "famous" for his Zen books. I'm familiar with Karen Hesses novels but now I'll be on the look out for more picture books, too.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully told story, told via some lovely poetry that just flows off the page. The illustrations are really wonderful and special too.

The descriptions were spot on: of the unbearable oppressive heat, of the refreshing and fun rain, of the joy of play, of how certain moments can be so special, and captured so well the compelling anticipation.

It reminded me of childhood and the magic some rainstorms seemed to have.

It was both sophisticated and accessible, and both fun and emotionally powerful.

[Diana Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally don't review the books that I read to my daughter but this one did something to me. While I was reading it, I felt myself settle into my Southern drawl that I normally disguise every chance I get and I just enjoyed the words, explaining some to my five year old, and allowing the rest to settle over me. I felt like we shared something special while reading this, something that only mothers and daughters can share. Karen Hesse has a lyrical way with words and I was thoroughly impressed.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! I love the illustrations that complement the text, and completely capture that hazzy summer heat.

A longer picture book than most, Hesse really gives the feel of summer and that anxiousness when looking at those first storm clouds on the horizon! While at times I thought the text was a tad too artsy, that's really just my own personal taste.

Overall a really great and unique book! Definitely recommended!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely picture-book evocation of stifling summer heat, and the blessed relief that a rainstorm can bring, Come On, Rain! is a book that brought me back to my own childhood, when my first impulse, when sensing the approach of rain, was to run outside in the hopes of being "caught" in the deluge. As Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi once wrote, "When bathing in the rain was no longer one of great pleasures of my existence, I knew I had left my childhood behind me." This beautiful book, in which a young girl named Tess, eagerly anticipating the rain, manages to get her three friends - and then their mothers! - out into the downpour, makes me feel that I have not, after all, really left my childhood entirely behind.

Yes, I still feel the pull of the rain, and Karen Hesse captures that feeling with her words, just as the marvelously talented Jon J. Muth - better known for his Zen Shorts , and its sequels - does with his gorgeous watercolor artwork! It's a testament to the power of their creation that, although I grew up in an environment far removed from Tess's urban neighborhood, I instantly identified with her story. Just a beautiful book, highly recommended to fans of the artist, and to any reader who has longed for the rain, and its cool caress.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a children's book that you'll want to introduce your kids to - it's a fine display of how good creative writing can be! The story is a simple one but it's very well told, from the word choice to the sentence structure. And the illustrations do the writing justice.

Ages: 4 - 8

Content Considerations: some girls are wearing swimsuits.

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[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=5603

I love Karen Hesse's writing. She just has a way of putting words together and making them sound like dances. Come On, Rain! is the story of a young girl waiting for rain after a drought and the celebration she, and her friends and family, has after the rain comes. In addition to the beautiful writing, the watercolor illustrations adds an extra beauty to the story making it even more like a piece of art. I also truly appreciate the diversity of the families portrayed.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. This is a book one returns to over and over again. Lingering on every page is what I want to do. Instead, I place it carefully on my "mentor texts" shelf waiting to be relished with new eyes for new purposes many, many times. Did I say this one is lovely?

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you can see authors like to use different crafts to convey life lessons to the reader. In come on, rain Karen Hesse teaches you to have hope in hard situations just like Tessie. Tessie had hope that rain would come, you should have hope in a hard situation to and follow Tessie’s example.

[Liz Hammet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come on, Rain! Written by Karen Hesse and illustrated by Jon J Muth encompasses beautiful illustrations of the African American characters and slang. The story seems to be set in the Deep South. The main characters are Mamma and Tessie. Mamma and Tessie live together and they are witnessing a drought in the midst of exasperating heat. The Mamma and little girl, Tessie, are beautifully illustrated and seem to have a good relationship. They are impatiently waiting on the rain to come, and while they wait they are describing the heat and Tessie is constantly dreaming of the rain to come. Mamma and Tessie describe what their other friends are doing while they are impatiently waiting on the rain. The rain finally comes at the end of the story. Tessie, along with other girls of other skin colors comes outside to dance in the rain. I think this is a beautiful story that illustrates African American attributes, but also symbolizes one thing that all humans witness and that is weather.

[SaraLaLa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come On, Rain is so well written. I how poetic the writing is (similes, metaphors, alliteration, sensory details to create wonderful imagery) and the illustrations go perfectly with the words. It would be a perfect read for in the middle of a heat wave and a great example for good writing for my students.

[Nojood Alsudairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The angles the illustrator chose to draw his characters are amazing. The feet are captioned in a way one want his own foot on that street. The bird's eye view is amazingly awsome. The text is great but the illustrations made the book much more enjoyable.

[Kirstin Kemppainen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character begs the sky for some rain. This books has great language to expand children's vocabulary.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I didn't discover this book earlier. The words and illustrations are beautiful.

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated by Jon J. Muth, this picture book captures a simple moment- the arrival of rain on a hot day- and celebrates mothers and daughters in the process.

[Alycia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really evokes the feeling of a hot and sticky summer day!

[Regine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot town, summer in the city…. Nicely captures the sweltering heat and the wonderful relief of a brief but soaking rain.

[Rebecca Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Log #2
Title: Come On, Rain!
Author: Karen Hesse
Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Genre: Picture book of poem
Theme(s): Families, growth and change, multiculturalism, nature and seasons, neighbors
Opening line/sentence: “Come on, rain!” Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat.
Brief Book Summary: A heavy drought in the summer exhausts everyone, especially Tess and her mother. Tess wishes rain to relieve everyone in the neighborhood from the unbearable heat. Tess and her friends gather wearing bathing suits and pleads for rain and miraculously raindrops start to fall.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
• Name of Reviewer: Not mentioned
• Name of Source: Kirkus
• Link to source: http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
• Short blurb from the review:
• Hesse (Just Juice, p. 1600, etc.) hits some high notes in this story of parched summer days in the city. Young Tess watches as her mother tends to her woeful wilting vegetable patch; the heat is enveloping. Tess, from her perch on the fire escape, scans the sky in hopes of deliverance, and sure enough, those are rain clouds she spies. When the clouds break, everyone steps joyfully to the rain dance. Hesse's language is a quiet, elegant surge--"'Rain's coming, Mamma,' I say. Mamma turns to the window and sniffs. 'It's about time,' she murmurs," but it can become ornate ("trinkets of silver rain" and music that "streaks like night lightning") and jarring amid the contained beauty of the rest of the writing. Muth contributes fine watercolor atmospherics, in sultry summer scenes where the heat is almost palpable, and raucous wet scenes of jubilant dancers. 1999, Scholastic, $15.95. © 1999 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
(PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1998.)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
• Name of Reviewer: Stephanie Zvirin
• Name of Source: Booklist
• Link to source: http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
• Short blurb from the review:
• The author of the Newbery award-winning Out of the Dust turns her attention to a younger audience as she writes again about the burning sun and a parched landscape. In languid blank verse, she conjures vivid pictures of a city in the throes of sweltering heat. Loving Tessie, who is not above playing a trick on her mom, spots the gray clouds first, "bunched and bulging under a purple sky." She spreads the word, and what welcome news it is. Soon Tessie and a multiethnic cast of friends, in bathing suits, are "squealing and whooping in the streaming rain," as are their mothers, who throw off their stockings and shoes and join their daughters to the beat of the rain that "has made us new." The text is strong and lyrical but still accessible to children, and Muth, who has fittingly chosen watercolor as the medium, perfectly catches the hazy yellows and grays of a stormy sky and a cityscape bathed in heat and downpour. His work, however, seems uneven. Some of his pictures are vibrant and alive with feeling--Tessie's mama, cooling herself with a glass of ice tea pressed to her chest, hands reaching up as if to grab the drops. Others, however, seem almost cartoonish. Then there's the old Victrola, an anachronistic touch that, though certainly charming, confuses the book's sense of place and time. But the joy and love at the heart of the story shine through all the same. They make the book a delight to share, especially as a mother-daughter read-aloud. Category: For the Young. 1999, Scholastic, $15.95. Ages 5-7.
(PUBLISHER: Scholastic (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1999.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I agree with most of the two professional reviews. Both reviews highlighted the beautiful use of watercolors to illustrate the scenery. Unlike Booklist reviews, I did not find this book to be uneven or confusing. I thought the story was pretty straightforward and the contrasting spirit between Tess and her mother was intentional and well-fitting with the storyline.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: As outlined in Molly Bang’s Picture This!, backgrounds in the pages that illustrated scenes before the rain are pretty dull to convey a sense of unease. However, when it started raining, the backgrounds became white and paler than before, conveying a sense of joy and happiness.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book is a great way to introduce poetry for children. Although the entire book is written in poems, the lines are not too difficult for children to decode. There aren’t a whole lot of figurative language that children have to decipher. The lines are straightforward and easy to understand. Children would enjoy the beautiful words and illustrations of this book. Since there are many descriptive words in this book, children can use this book to broaden their vocabulary and try to illustrate their versions of the book or act it out like a role-playing activity.

[Rachel Cartaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Type of Book: This book is a realistic fiction picture book.

Awards: This book has won the Society of Illustrator's Gold Medal for excellent illustrations.

Summary: This book is about a young girl and her mother on a very hot, summer day. Both ladies wish for rain to come. The heat is pounding, and their plants are drooping. It has been a while since they've had a good rain. The girl begins to hear the sounds of thunder, but her mother doesn't hear it. She asks if she can put on her swimsuit, but her mother says no. A little while later, she hears the sounds of thunder again. Her mother comes inside from working, and the little girl brings her some tea. The little girl says that she has heard sounds of thunder again, and that her friend next door has already put on her swimsuit. Finally, her mother lets her put her swimsuit on, and go outside to wait for the rain. The girl and some of her friends are standing outside when they begin to feel the first drops of rain fall. One by one drops fall until a great shower has developed. The girls are laughing and dancing in the rain, and their mother come outside to join them. The theme of this book is faith. Both the little girl and her mamma were hoping for rain, but it was clear that the little girl truly believed it was going to rain.

Critique: I gave this book three stars, because I liked the message behind it. I didn't rate it higher, because I didn't find the book particularly interesting story-wise. It was a good book with good illustrations, but wasn't a fantastic read.

Prompts/Questions: One question I would ask my students during this book is where they think the little girl lives. The book never explicitly says this, so students can use their background knowledge to make inferences. Another inference I can ask them to make based off of the text is if they thought mamma actually believed it would rain. When the little girl puts on her swimsuit, I could ask the students why they think she is putting on her swimsuit even though she isn't going swimming.

Craft Elements: One craft element of this book that stood out was the use of descriptive language. This would make for a great writing lesson about how to add detail and description to your writing to make it better.

[Darinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done! This delightful story is about a girl who is hoping for some rain. In fact, her mother and her friends and their mothers, are all hoping for rain. They're having a dry spell and the heat is getting to everyone. One good rain is what they want.

I can relate to this story... I've lived in the southern US my entire life, and have spent many a summer wishing for some rain. Not only did I enjoy the writing, the artwork was great also.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great illustrations and atmosphere! The text sings like poetry.

[The Voracious Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the times I used to splash around in the rain with my own mother. A beautiful story.

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's not a more appropriate time for me to find this book and decide to read it than now when days & nights are scorching hot! I missed you, rain~

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations by Jon Muth. He's fast become a favorite. I like diversity the illustrations show. I like the story too. The rain and dancing will come again.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My class and I LOVED this! Perfect for discussing figurative language.

[Julianna Muth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Come On Rain" by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Jon J Muth, is a delightfully lyrical story of a young girl, Tesse, who eagerly awaits the coming rain. Their neighborhood hasn't seen rain in weeks; the plants and people are wilting because of the oppressive heat. Karen Hesse's poetry is expressive and dances through descriptive text, reminding the reader of that hot, hot day we've all experienced. Hesse's describes the intense heat of the day, but Tesse knows that the rain will come. Excitement builds as the little girl anticipates the rain. She is a clever little thing, she knows that she needs to bring her hot mama in from the scorching sun to cool her of, and soften her up in order to carry through her plan. Tesse pours her mom a cool glass of iced tea with a little sugar and coxes her mom inside. "Mama sinks onto a kitchen chair/ and sweeps off her hat./ Sweat trickles down her neck/ and wets the front of her dress/ and under her arms./ Mama presses the ice-chilled glass against her skin./ 'Aren't you something, Tesse' she says./ I nod smartly./ 'Rain's coming, Mama,' I say."
The imagery within the text makes the reader part of the story. We relax as mama does on her chair with her cool drink. Muth's illustrations bring to life Hesse's lovely story. As Tesse runs from house to house gathering people's hopes of the anticipated rain, we run with her. She is curious, observant, caring, fun loving, and smart. You fall in love with Tesse through the words, and the playful illustrations. The joy and relief at the end of the story is intoxicating. If you are using "Come On Rain" as an example of lyrical text, you may also want to show children "The Day You Begin" by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López. Woodson's book also invites the reader, through words that dance, and tip-toe across the page, to face a new situation and discover we are unique because of our differences.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hair Love, a New York Times Best Seller, by Matthew A. Cherry is a story about a young, African-American girl named Zuri who has hair that "kinks, coils, and curls every which way," (0:22). She is primarily taken care of by her father. In this book, Zuri shares that her hair makes her feel like a princess and a superhero and, most importantly, it helps her be herself. This book can teach girls with similar hair to embrace the hair that they were born with. This story does not fall into racial stereotypes because it depicts a positive father/ daughter relationship. The illustrations lend to the story because Zuri and her father can be seen living in a house with many bedrooms. Readers also learn that Zuri's father was her primary caretaker because her mother had been ill. This story was originally a short film that won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.



This audiobook (via Audible) was read by Blue Ivy Carter, who does a brilliant job of reading with expression and changing her voice whenever Zuri, her father, or her mother are speaking. Because it is read in this way, children will remain engaged for the entirety of the story.



This story can work well into elementary social-emotional learning in a way that students can learn about self-esteem. It can also teach others empathy and compassion as it provides a window into the world of the judgment of black hairstyles. Additionally, it can be used in elementary ELA for figurative language, predicting, and inferencing.



Hair Love represents black girls and boys, children raised by single parents (single fathers in particular), and children with a parent experiencing an illness. Additionally, it can provide a window into this world for any child who cannot personally relate.

[Halston Waishes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come On, Rain!, is about a young girl that is waiting on a rain shower in the middle of a hot summer. Her mom is outside tending to the garden that is dying due to the drought. Tessie, the young girl, just wants to go outside and play in her swimsuit with her friends. Her mom finally agrees to let her go play and then the clouds turn dark and the rain comes. Once all the moms see the rain they all come running outside and take their shoes off and play in the rain with their daughters.

There are few themes in Come On, Rain!, including family, growth and multiculturalism. From the illustrations in the book you can tell that all the families are from different cultures.

I enjoyed this book because I can relate to the long hot summer days and just longing for a cool down. I remember being younger and playing outside with my cousins in our swimsuits during a rain shower. This book gives me a sense of hope, during a hot dry spell there is always a glimpse of hope.

I recommend Come On, Rain! because this book shows the power of the love of family even during hard times. The book displays characters from all different cultures and they all love each other. This book shows the love that a community can have for one another and how hard times can bring people together.

[Morgan Haught]

Summary:
This book follows a girl and her mom who are waiting for the rain. Her mom and others work outside with their plants in the very hot sun. "Come On, Rain!" shows how this girl and her friends battle through a drought and eventually find the rain. Each of her friends and their moms celebrate too when they finally see the big drops of water falling from the sky.
Analysis:
This book was a fun read and I really enjoyed the different characters in each of the pages. I also really liked that when all of the mothers came out to dance in the rain, they were color coordinated with their daughters. The words were also well written and it gave lots of imagery to just how hot it was outside in the story.
How I can use this book:
This book has a bit more words, so I would suggest having it for a later elementary class. I could use this book as a teacher when talking about the water cycle for science. It took a while for the rain to come down, but it eventually did. I could also use this book to describe what a drought is and give the kids new vocabulary based on it.