A review by middle_name_joy
Lila and the Secret of Rain by David Conway
4.0
Lila and the Secret of Rain is a tale about a Kenyan village that is experiencing a dry spell and the little girl who makes it rain by whispering to the sky. I loved this story because it highlighted a young person who does something difficult and brave for others, rather than just thinking of herself.
As a multicultural text, it presents the ethnic group in authentic dress and nods to their traditional beliefs. It doesn't really explain anything about being Kenyan, though. However, Lila is an individual and not just a representation of her ethnic group.
In the classroom, I would use this book for cause & effect (What were the effects of the lack of rain?What does Lila do and what response does it generate?) and inference, especially in the context of Lila's pleas to the sky and how her emotion brings about the rain storm. Also, for older students, the placement of symbols, like the sun and later the dark clouds, within the illustrations would prove interesting for analysis.
As a multicultural text, it presents the ethnic group in authentic dress and nods to their traditional beliefs. It doesn't really explain anything about being Kenyan, though. However, Lila is an individual and not just a representation of her ethnic group.
In the classroom, I would use this book for cause & effect (What were the effects of the lack of rain?What does Lila do and what response does it generate?) and inference, especially in the context of Lila's pleas to the sky and how her emotion brings about the rain storm. Also, for older students, the placement of symbols, like the sun and later the dark clouds, within the illustrations would prove interesting for analysis.