The Rainbabies [Hardcover]

Laura Krauss Melmed (Author), Jim LaMarche (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

In the magic of a moonshower, a childless couple find a dozen tiny babies in the grass. Small enough to rock to sleep in a pair of wooden shoes, the children never grow. Even the tiniest babies can bring big adventures, though, and these little ones seem to find trouble as easily as bees find flowers. But the old couple's love never waivers and in the end they are rewarded with their hearts' desire.

Written in classic folktale tradition, illustrated with astonishing paintings, this beautiful story is woven from magic and moonbeams.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At a time when many supposedly new titles turn out to be retellings of familiar fairy tales, it's invigorating to find real creativity at work. In a stunning debut, Melmed combines standard fairy tale devices (a wish granted by magic; a series of trials to prove worthiness; virtue rewarded, etc.) in a wholly original story featuring the most fetching cast of little ones since the Dionne quintuplets. Melmed's writing is flawless, her storyline clean and unaffected: a childless couple finds a dozen tiny rainbabies in the grass after a moonshower, takes them home and tenderly cares for them until the babies' real mother arrives to claim her offspring and reward the devoted husband and wife. LaMarche's (Mandy) paintings are equally masterful. Whether portraying the couple's delight with their unexpected charges, or pecking in at the row of sleeping wee ones nestled snugly in a drawer, the artist's transcendent watercolors glow with a warm inner light that comes as much from the heart as from the brush. A winner in every respect, this genuinely touching book is guaranteed to become a favorite. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Touched by the good fortune of a moonshower, a childless old couple finds a dozen tiny babies in the grass outside their small house. They take the infants into their home, lovingly care for them, protect them from ``. . . dangers born of water, fire, and earth,'' and refuse to trade them for a valuable jewel. For this they are rewarded, by Mother Moonshower herself, with a real baby girl in exchange for the tiny rainbabies. The story, written in a pleasing folktale style, is not nearly as exciting as LaMarche's large, handsome illustrations. Painted in rich, muted tones that exude feelings of warmth and love, the textured pictures resemble pastel drawings. Portraits of the couple (who actually appear to be upper-middle aged) expose their characters in a style that is reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's. Alas, neither the pleasant writing style nor the beauty of the illustrations can compensate for the story's weak plot. The book is auditorily and visually pleasing, but lacks depth and purpose. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (September 23, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688107559
• ISBN-13: 978-0688107550
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Read this with A Heavy Heart and Tears In My Eyes, January 18, 2008

By 

Amy E. Santos "High-Maintenance" (State of Perfection) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rainbabies (Paperback)

This is a wonderfully written book. A gorgeous story with beautiful illustrations. I gave this book as a gift to a friend of mine going through IVF. She loved the story of the Rainbabies and Mother Moonshower.

The Rainbabies is a delightful book about an older couple that have everything but the one thing that they desire more than anything in the world, a child. One night after a rainstorm, they find twelve little babies in the grass and they take such wonderful care of them. So much so that Mother moonshower comes and gives them a "real" daughter of their own. They feel complete and full of love.

I couldn't stop crying the first time I read this book. I have had cancer and because of my chemo was told that I may never have children. It hit home to know that you can have everything in the world, but feel like you have nothing if you don't have the love of a child. At first I felt robbed of this love. But I also understand that there must be a reason why. This is still my favorite book to pull out and read when I'm feeling a little bit lonely.

This story is tender and sweet. You'll love it with all your heart.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical story with equally magical illustrations, January 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rainbabies (Hardcover)

The Rainbabies reads like a classical fairy tale, with the all the heft of a cross-generational standard. But you haven't heard this story before, and the setting is quietly and peacefully timely and contemporary. Illustrator Jim Lamarche makes this point with frequent visual references to the present, yet his fluid style, reminscent at times of the great master N.C. Wyeth, not only enhances the narrative, but ensures its classic feel. There is no tragedy here, only magic, and I was as entranced by the story were as my eight and six-year-old daughters. An aging couple, content in all respects except for their childlessness, find twelve tiny babies in the grass following a moonshower. They take the babies in and raise them carefully, rising to the challenge of several near-disasters that threaten the lives of their young charges. Their devotion to the children is palpable, and this helps to calm the reader's vague sense of unease over the cause of the tiny infants' frequent peril. Surely everything will be all right. Or will it? It's a neat twist. You're not sure where this is going, and the hint of impending doom (as if Lamarche's illustrations are not enough) creates a gem of a page-turner. Finally, the old man and woman are rewarded for their single-minded commitment, and the happily-ever-after denouement settles over the last page like a warm smile. Lamarche's closing illustration is a memorable image, a fairy tale in itself, a picure of such contentment that only the most jaded reader will fail to grow wistful for simpler times and simpler pleasures. The Rainbabies is a keeper -- a curl-up-in-the-chair-with-the-kids kind of book that is likely to grow worn and dog-eared from long and frequent use.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Pagan/Wiccan Families, August 9, 2000

By 

"moonchilde" (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rainbabies (Hardcover)

I bought Rainbabies initially for the illustrations. I was in a hurry to pick a couple books out and it was beautiful. Imagine my suprise and delight when I got to the end and you discover that the babies were actually sent to earth by The Goddess! (Portrayed as a beautiful silver maiden wearing a moonstone necklace). For my son, age 3, this gave a lovely and nurturing image of Her that he can conjure whenever She is mentioned. (Which is alot in our home!)If you like this one you also might try Nicola's Grapes (I am unsure of the Author)...Blessed Be! Moss