Once upon a Rainy Day

Gr 1–3—Another creative, metafictional picture book from Manceau. Once Upon a Rainy Day asks: What happens to a story when it rains and the characters stay home? In his signature collage and pen illustrations, Manceau takes readers step-by-step through a story "that starts over every day, each morning the same way." Ordinarily, Mr. Warbler walks into the forest to wake the Big Bad Wolf, which in turn sends the wolf chasing smart pigs, who then escape on a hot-air balloon, and so-on and so-forth, through a series of whimsical events. But this time, rain keeps Mr. Warbler home, which in turn prevents the usual series of events from unfolding. While the story told is entertaining—a cause and effect Rube Goldberg-esque tale told with iconic characters—the main strength is its philosophical question. It's a meditation on narrative and time—if a story is told in the forest, while the characters aren't present, is it really happening? The text builds a narrative that is in purposeful conflict with the illustrations, a visual "what if." While not all kids will enjoy or fully appreciate this title and it will likely even take adults a few readings to understand, it's a clever and unique offering, perfect for sharing and discussing one-on-one over the course of a rainy day.