“Malini, a young Sri Lankan girl, is tasked with protecting a bullock cart carrying a load of rice seedlings that will feed her entire village for a year. Malini is eager to accept this responsibility, but when it starts to pour rain, she must make a difficult decision: protect the rice crops or save herself.
This moving story of courage from award-winning author Alma Fullerton is told in lyrical free-verse and the sounds of the impending storm and Malini’s narrow escape with the rice cart come alive through onomatopoeic description. Kim La Fave’s dream-like illustrations imbue Sri Lankan life with a sense of magic, bringing Malini’s seemingly impossible heroic task within the realm of possibility. An explanation of the harsh realities faced by many Sri Lankan citizens at the story’s end highlights that life in Sri Lanka is often far from magical.
When the Rain Comes could serve as a useful point of comparison in many social studies classes, prompting students to weigh Malini’s responsibilities to herself, her family, and her village against their own. An inspiring story beautifully told, When the Rain Comes would be an enriching addition to most school library collections.”
—Natalie Colaiacovo
Read the review on page 4 of the December 2016 issue of Resource Links