Raindrops: A Shower of Colors

By: Chiêu Anh Urban
Illustrated by: Viviana Garofoli
Publisher: Sterling 
Publication Date: April 2010 
ISBN: 978-1402769009 
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler 
Review Date: February 2010 

If you want a fun versatile board book that is a learning experience in itself, “Raindrops” is one of the more interesting ones I’ve seen. The simple dialogue will be quickly memorized by your preschooler giving him/her that “I can read” feeling as they turn the pages. The text and visuals will enable the small child to “decipher” words on the page while the bright, vibrant colors are learned as you reintroduce them each time the book is read. The pages are durable, easy to turn and are very appealing.

“Blue butterfly
Red Rooster
Purple parrot
Pink pig
GO! GO! GO!
Red robin 
Yellow yak 
Orange octopus
White whale 
GO! GO! GO!
Yellow bumblebee 
Blue beetle 
Green grasshopper 
Black bear 
GO! GO! GO!
Raindrops and sun 
bring lots of fun...
...and a rainbow!”

After your preschooler recognizes colors, the book may be put aside for a while, but when they reach kindergarten it would be the perfect time to reintroduce this unique book to show the child how colors are blended to make new colors. There are “die-cut raindrops with a see-through shaded acetate” (very durable) that can be flipped over another color quickly showing how colors are blended. For example, one page has a red robin, the second a yellow yak. When the page is turned, the colors blend and you have an orange octopus.

Quill says: If you are looking for an ingenious, unique, educational and FUN book that will delight your little one, this is one you might want to consider!