Grandfather plays along, too, recognizing that the day has been designated Bear's birthday and deciding that it needs rescuing from the rain. The trip to the museum is a happy substitute for child and toy, who see the bus as "a great friendly creature pushing through the rain to meet them" where inside it is "warm and bright" and a dry place to watch "the wonderful splashing of the traffic." Meanwhile, Grandfather becomes resigned to the fact that there will be no planting today since the "first happy seeds of spring" are so small they would wash away. He patiently lets Yancy and Bear drag him from the dinosaur exhibit in the basement to the mummies on the top floor, so that when they finally settle in the theatre for a children's play, he nods off from exhaustion. He thus misses Bear's on-stage participation, for which he is given a coupon for the museum's gift shop. There, Yancy, as a non-talking toy, sends special thought waves to Bear to help him chose the perfect thing to cheer up Grandfather - a package of big, flat sunflower seeds that can be planted in the rain. The role reversal is kept up until bedtime when Grandfather is shown tucking in his sleepy grandson who is cuddling his stuffed Bear.

      A major strength of this book is the loving relationship between Yancy and his caregiver Grandfather. Grandfather is supportive of Yancy's flights of fancy and willingly participates in child-pleasing activities, but his own adult personality is revealed with sensitivity. His disappointment at being unable to garden is palatable to the readers and to Yancy, whose gift is thoughtfully chosen to lift his Grandfather's spirits. A perfect story to share on rainy days.

Recommended.