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This reassuring book may help children who are struggling to adapt to social distancing, or who are finding it hard to be separated from friends or family due to the Coronavirus pandemic
‘Let’s paint a big rainbow to put on display. When people pass by it and see it, they’ll say. ‘All rainstorms must end, and this rainstorm will too.‘ And they’ll feel a bit happier, all thanks to you.
This exquisite picture book has a calm, reassuring tone throughout. The protagonist (a young girl) is feeling glum about having to stay at home. She misses her grandma, her classroom and friends, and things feel a little chaotic as her parents juggle work and childcare. Her mother likens the crisis to a rainstorm, and she reasons that as all rainstorms come to an end, this one will, too. The family will travel and see their friends again, one day. They make the perfect symbol of hope for when you’re waiting for a storm to end: a rainbow. When there isn’t enough blue paint, Dad cheerfully suggests using something more readily available (pieces of cardboard) – a nice touch that reflects that sometimes children may need to ‘make do and mend’ a little during a period of self-isolation. Eventually the girl gets to see her friend, from a safe distance, and share a rainbow or two.