Candlewick Press has arranged an early free digital release of the stunning Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and David Litchfield to raise awareness for Save the Children. The book’s message of finding hope in the darkest times, as well as the recurring rainbow symbol, has made it all the more topical and relevant for young children in lockdown or preparing for a very different return to school this year.
Scheduled to publish in hardback this October, the book is available to download for free between August 17 and September 30, 2020, from all e-book retail platforms and the Stay Home with Candlewick Press resource site. Readers can consider a donation to Save the Children, which here in the United States works to serve the most marginalized children in rural America and provide them with the early learning resources they need to be successful in school and in life. Earlier this year, Stanley Tucci read Rain Before Rainbows in support of Save the Children’s #SaveWithStories campaign in the UK.
Rain Before Rainbows was written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, author of Welcome to Your World and the Publishers Weekly #1 bestseller I Love You Night and Day, whose books have been published in more than thirty languages around the world. It was illustrated by David Litchfield, illustrator of numerous picture books, including When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel by G. Neri. A tale of finding courage and hope in the darkest of places, Rain Before Rainbows follows a girl and her companion fox as they travel together from a place of loss and despair, through challenging and stormy times, toward life and color and the light of the rainbow. Activity sheets available from Candlewick Press will further support children’s engagement with the story.
“Life is never pure sunshine, but when I wrote this book I really didn’t envisage the clouds that would darken our skies the world over,” said Smriti Prasadam-Halls. “It has been wonderful to see rainbows in people’s windows everywhere, symbolizing hope in these troubled times. I hope that this book and the beauty of David’s illustrations can, in some small way, help us to acknowledge loss and sadness while giving voice to our strength and resilience. May it shine light in dark places and bring hope out of heartbreak . . . keeping us looking to the future with courage, light, and hearts filled with hope.”
David Litchfield said, “Drawing this book was a complete joy. As soon as I read Smriti’s emotional, powerful words, I was inspired to capture that emotion in the pictures through the eyes of a little girl and her fox friend. . . . One of my favorite messages this story illustrates is hope over fear. And for the past few months, many children have drawn their own rainbows and displayed them in their windows. I have loved seeing some of these drawings on my daily walks. . . . They always remind me of the girl and her magic fox and the journey they had together.”
Download the free e-book and related resources here: https://stayhome.candlewick.
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