Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Reassuring tale soothes fears, promotes sharing feelings.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
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 :
- Illustrator : Courtenay Fletcher
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship , STEM , Animals ( 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 : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate