THIS RAINDROP

An unnamed drop of water shares stories of where it’s been and why water is important.

Since the era of dinosaurs, the little raindrop has existed. From the very first ocean wave to the rain on rooftops of houses today, the raindrop has traversed the world and continues to be an invaluable part of nature. It seeps into the ground, “cuddled as a puddle,” and is reborn as dew on orange and yellow flowers on the next page. Water is more than just precipitation: It connects people and places, from “poets and pirates” to “friends, fisherman, sailors, soldiers, and seekers.” With its personified-raindrop narrator, the story attempts to be informative and engaging but struggles with the latter due to overuse of alliteration and overall wordiness. While the heart of its message is complemented by vibrant and eye-catching illustrations, it is not enough to outweigh the stilted language and (ironically) failure to flow. Backmatter including descriptions of the water cycle and water conservation provides much-needed definitions for some of the more complex vocabulary used. Children will be frustrated that the “sagas and secrets of travelers” that “raindrops are fully versed in” are only hinted at and not revealed.

A beautiful but insubstantial book on the importance of water.