FIRST RAIN

When Abby and her family move to Israel, it is both a sad and a happy day. Abby will miss her grandma and the rainy, splashy outings they would take wearing duck-yellow raincoats. But Abby is also very excited to start a new life in the land of her ancestors and, with a flurry of e-mails and letters, keeps her grandma updated on her new home, new Hebrew words, new friends, new foods and new sights. The summer dry weather finally gives way to the first rain just as the new school year opens, bringing Abby not only relief from the heat but a surprise visit from her grandmother ready to share in some showery fun. Mitter’s bright full-page acrylics accentuate emotions and the themes of family relationships as the little girl acclimates while maintaining a connection to her former life. This agreeable story also provides some insight into such Israeli essentials as the market (shuk), the Dead Sea and the Western Wall. A sentimental and perhaps idyllic journey filled with the promise of love and fresh beginnings. (Picture book. 4-7)