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During an extended drought in her home town, a little girl wants to know “when is it going to rain?” She asks adults in her life and learns many weather forecasting tips: Grandma and Granddad ache, her mother notices ants invading the kitchen, and she learns about insects making noise at night. While she feels these might be good predictors of impending rain, she seeks additional signs. She observes the behavior of cats and dogs, and she hears about the tendencies of birds. Could these be signs of rain? One night, her cousin Brad teaches her about the rings around the moon. She patiently watches the night sky. She studies her pets and listens to nature outside her home as well. It not only rains, but everyone’s forecasting signs fall into line.
Sano has created an engaging character, revealing the inquisitive nature of all children. She builds upon a child’s desire to investigate the world around them. By doing this, the author begins with an introduction to several weather forecasting tips that are not found on television or through meteorological technology, but simply by the resonant signs in the world around us. Sano reveals that self-guided discovery can be the best method of research for young minds. Accompanying the text, pleasant illustrations mark the narrator’s journey. A primary message becomes that many things in the world are interconnected.