Teachable Texts

10. Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse

July 6, 2009 at 9:22 am Leave a comment

Retell: A young girl anticipates the long awaited thunderstorms that will cool down the humid city she lives in.

Topics: heat, rain, family, summer, cities, thunderstorms

Units of Study: personal narrative, poetry

Reading Skills: envisionment, making connections

Writing Skills: including similes, using active verbs, personification, alliteration

My Thoughts: This book makes me wish it was more humid outside right now.  Every New Yorker without air conditioning will be able to relate to this book.  I love how Hesse uses poetic devices throughout this small moment story, making it a nice mentor text for personal narrative or poetry unit.  She includes personification:  “The smell of hot tar and garbage bullies the air…”  There is alliteration and assonance:  “The first drops plop down big, making dust dance all around us.”  Hesse teaches young writers to slow down and zoom in on ordinary moments.

Entry filed under: Female Authors, Picture Books. Tags: alliteration, cities, community, envisionment, family, heat, making connections, personal narrative, personification, poetry, rain, similes, summer, thunderstorms, verbs.