LIKE A HUNDRED DRUMS

When a big storm threatens, all the residents of the farm get an inkling that it’s on its way. A panoramic overhead view of the farm shows a typical beautiful day. Then, a simple fluttering of leaves alerts the wren, then the crow, that something is coming. This inkling spreads quickly across the farm, to the cow and the pig, the cat and the dog, even a mouse in the tall grass. The storms builds, too; a single drop of rain, then lightning, and finally the downpour, which two young children watch along with Grandma, in her rocking chair on the porch. After the storm, both children and animals come out to feel the “newness” of their surroundings. Griessman’s prose is lyrical and evocative, yet accessible to young listeners. Monks’s dreamy illustrations, which combine oil paints, pastels and crayons, are the perfect complement. A terrific offering, simple but spectacular. (Picture book. 3-7)