Why I wrote a children’s book about rain and nature.

I wrote a book about rain to preserve a memory of playing in my grandparents' garden as a child. A memory I felt was worth preserving not just for myself, but for all children who love nature and being in it.

One day, my grandparents had me take the washing off the line because it might rain, and then we did a rain dance with my cousin Carmen. My memory is a little foggy, but I remember dancing, laughing and having so much fun, and then it actually rained. I thought my nanny was so clever. It felt like magic.

This was before the internet, and we were more closely aligned with nature back then. That is why I wanted to write this book: because it was such a fond, magical, and sweet memory. I wanted to share it with parents who really want this type of classic story that celebrates nature and timeless storytelling for their children, without a lot of hype or fanfare.

Sky is not a fussy character; she is simply a child having fun in the garden with her grandparents. But like all good stories, there is a sense of what is going through Sky’s mind when she looks at the rain. Is it just a pretty drop of water in the trees that looks magical, or is there more to her thoughts? I can assure you there is more, she is a girl who sees that one small drop of water is beautiful, but also part of a whole ecosystem, growth, insects, soil, and so much more.

And this is important, because when I grew up and did this rain dance myself, we seemed to have a hands-on relationship with nature and an understanding of it. We got dirty in the garden and made mud pies. We watched rain fall and noticed how it made things grow, and we loved the smell of it. These are the things I want my books to be about.