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Soggy Saturday
When the rain washes the blue right out of the sky, Bonnie Bumble and the inhabitants on her farm find themselves feeling a bit down, and Bonnie must find a way to make everything and everyone happy once again! Simultaneous.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2001
About the author
Phyllis Root
110 books74 followers"Picture books are performances," says Phyllis Root, quoting some sage advice she once received. "They're performances that involve a child--something both of you do. And once I started thinking of them that way, I started getting much looser about making up words and playing around with rhythm."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 28, 2018
All the blue has rained out of the sky, turning everything below blue.
Bonnie Bumble to the rescue as she paints everything back to the proper color.
Bonnie Bumble to the rescue as she paints everything back to the proper color.
September 4, 2023
It rains so hard on a Saturday that everything turns blue. Toddler and up
March 31, 2025
Super cute. Love this book.
March 3, 2017
All about colors.
On a rainy Saturday, everything turns blue from a rain storm. Bonnie Bumble decides to paint things right again.
On a rainy Saturday, everything turns blue from a rain storm. Bonnie Bumble decides to paint things right again.
April 9, 2010
So far as picture books go this serves up whimsical delight. It shares very well with the pre-school age bunch. Be sure to make "rain" and "painting" actions with hands as picture and text cues suggest. Children love being part of the story.
We sang this action song:
BLUE Rain is falling all around (wiggle fingers like rain)
On the rooftops (steeple your hands over your head)
On the ground (point to or touch the ground)
Rain is falling on my nose (touch nose)
On my head (touch head)
And hands (hold hands out)
And toes (point to or touch toes)
Here is a link to the music: https://www.lds.org/music/library/chi... and here is a YouTube link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63XaC...
I like to add other weather verses, such as "The sun is shining all around".
We sang this action song:
BLUE Rain is falling all around (wiggle fingers like rain)
On the rooftops (steeple your hands over your head)
On the ground (point to or touch the ground)
Rain is falling on my nose (touch nose)
On my head (touch head)
And hands (hold hands out)
And toes (point to or touch toes)
Here is a link to the music: https://www.lds.org/music/library/chi... and here is a YouTube link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63XaC...
I like to add other weather verses, such as "The sun is shining all around".
June 18, 2009
Root's story is slight, with just enough text for toddlers. The mixed-media illustrations are silly, a good match for the text. This title lends itself to storytime activities such as finger painting. Good for group sharing.
March 29, 2014
Great story for younger kids. One day on Bonnie Bumble's farm, it rains so hard that it washes the blue right out of the sky. The blue covers all the animals and plants. It is up to Bonnie to make everything right. She gets out her paint and paint brush and gets to work.
April 17, 2015
Rain paints everything blue. Including blue milk? Makes little sense. Bonnie wants everything back to normal instead of trying to figure out why or see the situation in a new light. She just paints over the blue. Will not read again.
February 12, 2008
It rains one saturday and everything turns blue-- until a boy paints everything the right color again. Ideal for smaller groups due to size of book.
August 24, 2009
abrupt ending killed what was a cute story about raining so hard "it washed the blue right out of the sky."
November 3, 2009
Kids love this book!
December 21, 2009
Jillian asked, "How can that happen?" to the sky?
May 4, 2013
A bad storm washes the blue from the sky o to a farm and Bonnie Bumble has to paint the world back to its former conditions. Simple and well told. Good book.
April 26, 2014
I seem to remember another little girl coloring her whole world. Amber Brown, perhaps? I cannot remember. Either way this story felt unoriginal.
August 30, 2018
Weather Story Time. It rains so hard that the blue comes right out of the sky and onto all of the animals on the farm. What will they do? Super cute!
Rain Story Time.
Rain Story Time.
August 28, 2023
fine. Short. Better for littles.
January 25, 2016
Preschool group enjoyed. Liked the idea of painting their world. Thought it was silly.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews