Children Who Dance in the Rain: 2023 Children’s Book of the Year Award, a Book About Kindness, Gratitude, and a Child's Determination to Change the World.

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Children Who Dance in the Rain

Written by Susan Justice; illustrated by Lena Bardy

Children Who Dance in the Rain was awarded the 2023 Children’s Book of the Year Award, for a very good reason—it supports kindness, gratitude, hope, and possibility.

The story begins with Sophie, a girl of about 10 to 11 years, who is engrossed in her iPad. Her world takes a transformative turn when her family visits her parents’ home in India. On one occasion, Sophie encounters children in a humble mud colony, most specifically a girl about her own age named Nanaki, an orphan. Sophie is shocked to learn how Nanaki works to buy food and vitamins for her brother. Despite meager possessions, Nanaki and her peers in the mud colony radiate abundant joy and gratitude for life’s simple treasures.

As Sophie’s eyes open to the world beyond her iPad screen, she discovers the vastness of life and her own potential to make a real difference. Children Who Dance in the Rain is a heartwarming journey that not only impacts Sophie but also invites readers to reconsider their own perspectives, emphasizing the wealth found in gratitude rather than material possessions. And what is truly wonderful…is that the book is based on a true story. Because of her experience, Sophie became a doctor and returned to the mud colony to give children food and medicine.

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Format: Picture Book

Content:

Gratitude, kindness, determination, hope