This simple rhyming text is joined by Ehlert’s signature vibrant, collage illustrations of “rain fish” who appear in streams of water after a rain storm. Kids loved identifying the collection of debris and found objects that made up the fish, calling out where the eye, tail and fin were before I could see it! Bodies of sock, brown wrapping paper, corrugated board, shopping receipts, pie pans and napkins were adorned with fins of popsicle sticks, leaves, orange peel or feathers. A favorite was to call out the eye (bottle cap, letter O, shell or can lid) and show where the the body was moving. “They hide in debris until rain sets them free,” and kids can enjoy putting the pieces together to recognize the fish. With luscious descriptive rhyming lines, “They gather in the gutters, and then swish on down the street,” the author invites kids to try some descriptive lines themselves, using the book for a perfect language lesson as they talk about each page. What a great prompt for making your own rain fish with a pile of discarded materials. Teachers and therapists take note–this will be a favorite in the classroom!
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