When rain comes to the parched African savanna, the animals use all their senses to track the storm. The porcupine smells rain in the air. The zebras see lightning. The baboons hear thunder. The rhino feels the first drops. And the lion tastes the cool water. For a time, the grasslands abound with new green leaves, juicy fruits, and fresh pools of water. But soon the hot sun dries out the land, and the animals must again wait for the next big rain. Manya Stojic's picture book debut is as satisfying and refreshing as the rain she describes. With paintings that are exuberant and saturated with color and a simple text that rolls off the tongue with pleasure and ease, here is a book parents and teachers will enjoy sharing again and again. As the red soil of the African savanna becomes parched and cracked, the porcupine SMELLS the rain coming. She tells the zebras, who SEE the rain coming and gallop off to tell the baboons. The baboons HEAR the rain coming. The rhino FEELS it. And the lion TASTES the rain. All the animals use their senses to predict the change of weather. Soon, the sky opens and it rains and rains and rains until every river gushes and gurgles. When it stops, green buds and grasses sprout and the animals find shelter in the shade of the big leaves and the cool, squelchy mud and relish the "fresh, juicy fruit from the trees" and long, refreshing drinks from the water hole. Manya Stojic's exuberant picture book celebrates nature's sometimes extreme but always magical methods in madness. From scorching drought to frenzied rainfall and back again, all the animals live in harmony with this natural cycle. Stojic's artwork is stunning--lush golds, fiery red-oranges, cool, wet blues, and brilliant greens burst off the pages, while the soft grays, blacks, and browns of the savanna creatures, with their visible brush strokes, seem to come alive before our very eyes. Rain is as golden, vibrant, and palpably refreshing as Flora McDonnell's Splash! --another wonderful picture book about delicious, delicious water. (Ages 3 and older) --Emilie Coulter PreSchool-Grade 2-In this impressive debut, Stojic's exquisite blend of word and picture transports readers to the African savanna before, during, and after a soaking rain. The soil is hot, dry, and cracked, but the animals sense rain is coming. The porcupine SMELLS it. The zebras SEE the lightning flash. The baboons HEAR the thunder. The rhino FEELS the first drops. And the lion TASTES the life-giving liquid. Each animal passes on its prediction of rain, and along with the gathering signs of its much-longed-for arrival, the words, too, gather in a delightfully cumulative text. Heat seems to radiate from the page via Stojic's bold splashes of bright yellow and red-orange paint. When the relieving rain falls, the text, superimposed on a spread of various shades of blue with brush strokes going in every direction, increases in size with the increase of water, until "every river gushed and gurgled-every water hole was full." The rain brings forth lush vegetation, and readers are treated to close-up views of the animals enjoying leafy shade, "squelchy mud," "juicy fruit," and "a refreshing drink." And while the animals are certain the rain will come again "when it's time," the story comes full circle as the sun once more beats down on the parched earth, drying it out and cracking it. The brilliant double-page spreads, the play on the five senses, and a text that invites participation make this one trip to Africa you can't afford to miss!-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. "The rain is coming!" The porcupine can smell it. The zebras can see it, the baboons can hear it, and the lion can taste it. But this is more than just a cumulative tale in which all the animals add their perceptions of the coming storm. This also gives a sense of what life is like in the hot, dry African savanna and the effect rain has on the landscape. After the storm, the animals reap the rewards of the rain: the rhino can no longer feel the rain, but he can lie in the soft mud; the baboon no longer hears the rain, but he can eat fresh, juicy fruit. All this is done with a minimal text and big, splashy pictures that bring both the animals and the storm up close. Stojic applies her paint thickly, with bold, colorful strokes that will make the book easy to see in story hours or in primary-grade science classes, where it will offer an easy entry into a discussion of weather patterns and how they affect habitat. Ilene Cooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved An evocative depiction of the rain cycle in the African savannah marks Stojics debut as writer and illustrator. Each page is filled with color, movement, and an impressionistic view of the African landscape. Brush strokes seem to leap off the page, and the representation of thunder, lightening, heat, and sunshine are visually exciting. Close-up dr