The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm
Reassuring tale soothes fears, promotes sharing feelings.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, by LeVar Burton and Susan Schaefer Bernardo, is the first release from Reading Rainbow. The bold, colorful, graphically stylish art should draw young readers in, and the multilayered story has the appeal of a classic folktale. The emphasis here is on feelings -- identifying them and not holding them in -- with lots of positive messages about letting them out and talking about them with loved ones. It's a big lesson delivered with a light, kid-friendly touch. Could be especially helpful in talking to kids who have suffered a loss, natural disaster, or tragedy or who have heard about one in the news.
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What's the Story?
A little mouse named Mica is afraid of the storm outside, so her papa reads her a soothing tale of a rhino who survives a storm and recovers from the emotional turbulence afterward thanks to the help and encouragement of his friends. In the story within the story, the rhino is so angry that the storm "took away everything dear to his heart" that he magically swallows the storm and then learns from his animal and insect friends that letting it out and talking about his feelings with those who love him will help him feel better.
Is It Any Good?
This book reads like a wise and magical folktale, with many valuable lessons delivered in rhyming verse from cute animal and insect pals. THE RHINO WHO SWALLOWED A STORM is about a lot more than physical survival and calming the nerves of an anxious child. The story the father mouse reads deals especially with the rhino's emotional reality and ability to "move through your sorrow ... on the road to tomorrow."
Author LeVar Burton knows a thing or two about what kinds of stories keep kids engaged, and coauthor Susan Schaefer Bernardo wrote her previous book, Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs, with illustrator Courtenay Fletcher to help kids deal with separation and loss.
Fletcher's bold, graphic, computer-generated art will surely draw kids in, too. The meter in the rhymes occasionally varies, so parents reading aloud may need to be on their toes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about storms. Have you ever been in a big one? What would you do to feel safe in a storm?
How is this story like a folktale? Why are animals often the wise ones in folktales? Can you think of any other animal stories that teach lessons?
When you're angry or sad, do you hold your feelings inside or do you talk about them with a parent, teacher, or friend to feel better? Does it help to share your feelings?
Book Details
- Authors: LeVar Burton, Susan Schaefer Bernardo
- Illustrator: Courtenay Fletcher
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Friendship, Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Reading Rainbow
- Publication date: October 7, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 5 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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