“An oxcart arrives in Malini’s small Sri Lanka village, loaded with rice seedlings, enough to sustain her community for a year….but a sudden storm floods the road, threatening Malini, the ox, and the precious cargo. The storm’s violence is conveyed by onomatopoeic language…Words that may be unfamiliar to American readers, such as bullock driver and spurfowls, further provide a sense of the setting. Large-scale illustrations highlight the sudden change from sunshine to rain, with first vertical and then diagonal streaks through the colors demonstrating the rain’s ferocity. Malini’s anxiety about helping with the planting and the sense of accomplishment she feels in saving the rice come through clearly in her facial expressions. An author’s note includes helpful background about Sri Lanka and family life there.”
—Lucinda Whitehurst
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