Book: Singing in the Rain

Blog post written and submitted by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC 

Imagine you are a young child again. It’s raining. You see a puddle forming in front of your house. What do you do? Do you stay inside and shelter yourself from the rain? Do you run outside and jump in the puddle? When I was younger, I would have stayed inside and sheltered myself from the rain. However, my views changed when I picked up the storybook Singing in the Rain based on the song by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and illustrated by Tim Hopgood.

If you’re a lover of musicals like myself, it’s likely that you have seen “Singin’ in the Rain” with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. If you’re not familiar with the movie musical, there is a scene in the movie when Gene Kelly’s character realizes he is starting to fall in love with the character played by Debbie Reynolds. He proceeds to go outside, realizes it’s raining, and decides to sing in the rain instead of hiding under an umbrella. This song is the epitome of seeing the good in every day. Don’t let the rain dull your shine!

This storybook has beautifully illustrated pictures by Tim Hopgood. The illustrations create a sense of innocence. Children throughout the book can be seen dancing, jumping in puddles, catching raindrops in their mouths, and flying through the sky using their umbrellas! When reading this book with your child, ask them what they like to do when it’s raining. If your situation allows for it, I encourage you to take your child outside and jump and splash in the puddles! Ask them how it makes them feel and why they think it is important to see the good in every day.

Tim Hopgood, the illustrator of this storybook, leaves a message at the end of the book, illuminating the importance of never taking a moment for granted:

“Apart from ‘Singing in the Rain’ being the centerpiece to one of my favorite films, the reason I chose to illustrate this song is its underlying positive message. As adults, it is easy to forget the joy of rain.

We tend to view it as an inconvenience rather than the wonderful thing that it is. Rain is something beautiful that connects all life, from the city to the rain forest. So next time it rains, don’t stay indoors. Go outside and soak it up like the children in this book. What a glorious feeling it is!”

For some inspiration, you can watch the clip of Gene Kelly from the movie Singing in the Rain. You can also have the song playing while enjoying this book with your child!

We hope you enjoy using this storybook in your child’s schooling adventures, whether they be attending in-person, remotely, or both! 

If you wish to purchase this storybook on Amazon, click here.

Happy reading!