The Biggest Puddle in the World
The Biggest Puddle in the World
That night a new storm arrived. Raindrops rattled on the roof and trickled down the window panes. And I was happy because the rain and the puddles and the pond and the ocean and Charlie and Keeper and my grandparents were all connected to me in a wonderful way. “Charlie …” I whispered. “Do you hear the rain?” But he was already dreaming.
When Sarah and her younger brother Charlie spend six days with their grandparents, Granny B and grandfather Big T, it begins to rain for days. Stuck inside, an exploration of their environment begins. First, they explore every corner of their grandparents’ home, under beds and in closets; the next day, they recruit Keeper, the dog, to join them in a game of dress up. As the rain splatters on the ground outside and gushes out of the gutter spout, Sarah and Charlie become restless, wanting to play outside. They pepper their grandparents with questions about the rain. Big T promises to show them the biggest puddle in the world once the rain stops. The next day, Charlie, Sarah, Big T and Keeper, all venture out in the fresh, yet damp, forest in pursuit of the biggest puddle.
The muted illustrations in natural tones perfectly capture an overcast summer day as the characters venture out into the woods. As they walk along the path, following a puddle, there is much for the young reader to absorb on each page. While Sarah coaxes Keeper and Charlie walks beside Big T, mushrooms sprout from a tree stump, pebbles lay on the path, and, if one looks closer, they’ll see bees amongst the flowers and tadpoles in the pond.
Young readers will instantly relate to Charlie and Sarah’s curiosity about their surroundings and the questions about nature the rain evokes. Dion’s illustrations capture the restlessness of the siblings as they explore their grandparents’ home and their playful wonder as they jump through puddles during their walk to find the biggest puddle in the world.
The Biggest Puddle in the World, a story about childhood curiosity, radiates with warmth and affection between the children and their grandparents. Big T patiently guides their walk through the woods following the stream which leads to a pond, then a river and eventually leads to a beach facing the ocean. Lee’s story, with short but rhythmic sentences, and Dion’s illustrations are so effective, they instantly evoke the sound and smells of nature after a storm. Young readers will enjoy this story of two siblings learning about the natural world from their grandparents.
Emily Ruffell works for a library in London, Ontario, and attends Western University’s FIMS program where she is working toward the degree of Master of Library and Information Science.