I Am the Rain

The water cycle is often a source of fascination for young readers. Here, Paterson crafts a poetic, visually affecting ode to the work of water, narrated by water itself. An African-American child gazes out her rain-glazed window: “Sometimes I’m the rain cloud and sometimes I’m the rain,” the poem begins. A spread shows white-water rafters careening down a waterfall. The water then becomes a wave at the beach: “Once I was a waterfall/ but now I’m just a wave./ At high tide I’m the breaking swell/ that daring surfers brave.” Paterson switches up the format with a long, vertical view of canyons and a comet passing overhead: “You’ll find me/ in the comet high/ circling the stars./ I’m also carving canyons deep/ on Earth and cousin Mars.” Paterson’s luminous, saturated paintings provide both a sense of openness and textural detail, while the poem demonstrates how water exists in and connects all things, even people. Back matter—including an infographic on the water cycle—and science-based q&as smoothly dovetail with the pensive tone of Paterson’s words and images. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)