It's Raining Cats & Dogs - M. Drew

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Author: M. Drew

Illustrator: Margherita Grasso
Genre: Children's picture book.
Rating: 4.25 stars.

A fun story with outstanding illustrations.

It's raining very heavily here in Mumbai and while I was browsing through my picture books collection, I came across this title. What better day to pick it up, eh? 😉
The story comes in the first person narration of a little girl whose Grandpa had told her how it had once rained cats and dogs in his town during a storm. As the girl stares at the gathering dark clouds, she wonders if the same will happen here. And it does! There are cute cats and dogs raining in her backyard. She takes them in the house, dries them off, and feeds them. But what happens afterwards?
It's a sweet little story, perfect for children because of its imagination. But it could be worrisome for parents as it's bound to lead to many questions of "How?" and "Why?" and "Why not?" 😅 The events are overly simplified, of course. With such heavy rain, there is bound to be the query of why only a few cats and dogs fell or why they fell only in her backyard. But… it’s a picture book for early readers. Let me kick out my over-analytical side and relish the story as is.
The story is written in rhythmic prose, which works for most verses. The language level is mostly easy. There are a couple of difficult words but as these aren’t lengthy, they should be easy for kids to pronounce and for adults to explain.
The illustrations are the best part of the book. All those adorable cats and dogs are a treat and the little girl is a cutie pie. I loved the fact that she was drawn wearing glasses! So few picture books do this! Thank you to the author and the illustrator for this creative call.
Definitely recommended if you are looking for a visual treat and an unusual story.
4.25 stars.
The book is available on KU.

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