Rain Before Rainbows; Smriti Halls, illustrated by David Litchfield

This is a stand-out picture book of 2020. Given the year that 2020 was this book is a wonderful reminder that there is always hope for better times. Just as the sun will set it will rise the next day and with a new day comes new hope…

A little girl and her fox companion travel through a storm and the dark. Together they climb mountains, sleep under the stars and battle mythical beasts. After sailing through a storm they find friends in the forest animals. The kind-hearted animals guide the girl and the fox towards the rising sun and together they make the most wondrous camp under the light of the forest, safe in the knowledge that the worst of times are behind them and that better days await.

Rain Before Rainbows is the perfect antidote for anyone going through a tough time - young or old. As the girl and the fox experience, the road may be long, days may be challenging, sometimes we may have to fight battles that we are unable to win, storms may brew all around us and things will happen that we will have no control over, but there is always hope. Just like the little girl finds friends and support in the forest animals, we can find support in friends and family, organisations and experts.

The rhyming text flows so easily and just begs to be read out loud. The words are soft, gentle, thought-provoking and uplifting. Accompanying the text is sumptuous artwork. David Litchfield is one of my favourite illustrators and his artwork sparkles and drips with colour throughout the book. The double page spread are alive with colour, even the darker pages at the beginning of the book are magical to look at.

This is one of my favourite picture books of 2020 and one that we all need to read to remind us that although life can be tough and times can be dark there is light and hopefully a rainbow at the end of it all.

Recommended for 5+.