What do you think?
Rate this book
Right as Rain: A Heartbreaking Story About a Brother's Death and Buried Guilt for Children
From the critically acclaimed author of Just Like Jackie comes a strikingly tender novel about one family’s heartbreak and the compassion that helps them heal.
It’s been almost a year since Rain’s brother Guthrie died, and her parents still have no idea that it’s all Rain’s fault. In fact, no one does—Rain buried her secret deep, no matter how heavy it weighs on her heart.
When her mom suggests moving the family from Vermont to New York City, Rain agrees to the plan. But she couldn’t have imagined how different life in the big city would be. She’s never seen so many people squished together in one place in her entire life—or felt more like an outsider. With her mom and dad fighting more than ever and the anniversary of Guthrie’s death approaching, Rain is determined to keep her family together, and her big secret close to her heart.
But even Rain knows that when you bury things deep, they grow up twice as tall.
Ann M. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Rain Reign, called Just Like Jackie “a lovely story of acceptance.” Stoddard has once again crafted a pitch perfect middle grade novel worthy of being called an instant classic. Fans of Sara Pennypacker and Lisa Graff will fall in love with the pluck and warmth of Stoddard’s latest heroine and the strength that even a small heart can lend.
It’s been almost a year since Rain’s brother Guthrie died, and her parents still have no idea that it’s all Rain’s fault. In fact, no one does—Rain buried her secret deep, no matter how heavy it weighs on her heart.
When her mom suggests moving the family from Vermont to New York City, Rain agrees to the plan. But she couldn’t have imagined how different life in the big city would be. She’s never seen so many people squished together in one place in her entire life—or felt more like an outsider. With her mom and dad fighting more than ever and the anniversary of Guthrie’s death approaching, Rain is determined to keep her family together, and her big secret close to her heart.
But even Rain knows that when you bury things deep, they grow up twice as tall.
Ann M. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Rain Reign, called Just Like Jackie “a lovely story of acceptance.” Stoddard has once again crafted a pitch perfect middle grade novel worthy of being called an instant classic. Fans of Sara Pennypacker and Lisa Graff will fall in love with the pluck and warmth of Stoddard’s latest heroine and the strength that even a small heart can lend.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2019
40 people are currently reading
3381 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Stoddard
6 books216 followersLindsey Stoddard was born and raised in Vermont where she helped boil sap in her grandpa's sugarhouse, skied the snowy mountains, and began her love for reading and writing. She taught middle school English for 10 years in Washington Heights, NYC to the most inspiring, creative kids. Their excitement about reading motivated her to pursue her other childhood dream, writing books. She now lives back in Vermont with her husband and two children. She received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is the author of Just Like Jackie, Right as Rain, Brave Like That, Bea Is for Blended, and The Real Deal (10/25/22).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
October 25, 2022
A family reels from the loss of their son and decides to start over in NYC. Mom is a hustler and is moving ahead with a new job in brain research. Dad is a hider. Daughter Rain wants her family to be the one in four that stays intact despite the loss of a child. She is also a runner and she is only eleven. The new setting means lots of changes for Rain and we get to watch her navigate in an urban setting with much more racial diversity than she was used to in Vermont. I appreciated the ways adults around her support and encourage her through her community service, running and writing poetry. Her poems are wonderful. This is also the second book I have read this month where the main character is reading "The One and Only Ivan," so I really want to move that title up on my TBR list. This will definitely appeal to readers dealing with grief and loss. Highly recommended.
One of my favorites from Lindsey Stoddard. She has a new one coming out today, October 25th, entitled The Real Deal
One of my favorites from Lindsey Stoddard. She has a new one coming out today, October 25th, entitled The Real Deal
October 3, 2018
Right as Rain certainly packs a punch. I would not recommend reading this book in public. Not only will you be actually laughing out loud, but also crying and sighing and a whole bunch of other things. And non reader humans find it weird when you do that by yourself with just a book in front of you.
The main character in this book actually feels like a little girl without her being annoying. She made a lot of decision that I know I would have made when I was her age. The whole family felt entirely like real people trying to do their best. I think this will be a great book for younger readers, because it discusses serious topics without dumbing them down.
The main character in this book actually feels like a little girl without her being annoying. She made a lot of decision that I know I would have made when I was her age. The whole family felt entirely like real people trying to do their best. I think this will be a great book for younger readers, because it discusses serious topics without dumbing them down.
June 10, 2019
I will say up front, that Lindsey Stoddard’s sophomore novel RIGHT AS RAIN did not hit me with the same personal, emotional punch that her debut JUST LIKE JACKIE did. But boy, can Stoddard write. She wears her heart on her sleeve as a writer. As much as I adored JUST LIKE JACKIE, I think RIGHT AS RAIN may actually be better written and more tightly constructed.
We know right away that a major theme of this story is going to be about the things we bury emotionally as Rain starts the story off with this early memory of her literally burying dresses in the yard when she was young because she refused to wear them. I thought this was a perfect visual to set up the theme of the story. It speaks metaphorically to the feelings she’s buried deep inside about losing her older brother Guthrie. In fact, every character in the story is burying something.
As a big fan of JUST LIKE JACKIE, the structure of RIGHT AS RAIN felt familiar and Stoddard uses story elements in similar ways. In JUST LIKE JACKIE we have Robinson, baseball, auto mechanics, a grandfather with Alzheimer’s, and a mystery surrounding Robinson’s mother’s name. In RIGHT AS RAIN we have Rain, track, gardening, parents grieving the loss of a child, and a mystery surrounding Rain’s secret. I don’t point this out as a bad thing. It’s a comforting thing to me. It’s about Stoddard’s style and voice being recognizable.
One of my favorite things about JUST LIKE JACKIE was the figurative language and RIGHT AS RAIN does not disappoint in this area either. Stoddard fills Rain’s narrative with perfect similes and metaphors that speak to Rain’s character. Rain grew up in rural Vermont and her father loves to garden so this is evident in the way she views situations around her. The voice is flawless and the style reminds me of Jenni Holm’s MAY AMELIA and TURTLE IN PARADISE in this way.
“All the streets are one way, so we drive down 151st and back up 152nd, and we have to double-park the van because cars are squeezed all the way down both sides of the street with just inches between them. You wouldn’t even plant seeds in a vegetable garden that close. That’s why there were seven years and one month between Guthrie and me. Dad says to have to give things space to grow.” (This passage tells us so much about Rain’s observations in NYC, her relationship with Guthrie, and her father’s way of looking at things.)
“...both of our accents sound like twigs getting caught up in a weed whacker.”
“...the dominoes men call out to him, Hector, dropping the H and hammering the ec like a tomato plant stake driving against rocky soil.”
“I already stick out like a cucumber plant trying to survive in a potato patch.”
“I can’t get my dad out of his room, and being in apartment number thirty-one makes me feel like an overwatered plant whose soil has no more air pockets and whose roots can’t breathe because they’re drowning.”
“I wish she’d just cry so that I could cry too and it wouldn’t feel like we’re a retaining wall holding back soil that just wants to crumble out and is so tired of being packed in tight.”
I also loved Stoddard's depiction of life inside a classroom. You can tell she has been a teacher because sometimes in children's literature, classrooms can feel so cookie cutter-like. In Rain's classroom, kids blurt out, they socialize, they chant and cheer, they show anger, they make fun of each other (as kids do), but they learn lessons and come together too. The activities they do felt like thoughtful projects. Rain was in very good hands in Mrs. Baldwin's class.
I’m a big fan of Lindsey Stoddard. Her writing has a lot of heart and the kids I know that have read JUST LIKE JACKIE have loved it fiercely. I have no doubt that RIGHT AS RAIN will have a similar impact on kids, maybe even moreso. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
We know right away that a major theme of this story is going to be about the things we bury emotionally as Rain starts the story off with this early memory of her literally burying dresses in the yard when she was young because she refused to wear them. I thought this was a perfect visual to set up the theme of the story. It speaks metaphorically to the feelings she’s buried deep inside about losing her older brother Guthrie. In fact, every character in the story is burying something.
As a big fan of JUST LIKE JACKIE, the structure of RIGHT AS RAIN felt familiar and Stoddard uses story elements in similar ways. In JUST LIKE JACKIE we have Robinson, baseball, auto mechanics, a grandfather with Alzheimer’s, and a mystery surrounding Robinson’s mother’s name. In RIGHT AS RAIN we have Rain, track, gardening, parents grieving the loss of a child, and a mystery surrounding Rain’s secret. I don’t point this out as a bad thing. It’s a comforting thing to me. It’s about Stoddard’s style and voice being recognizable.
One of my favorite things about JUST LIKE JACKIE was the figurative language and RIGHT AS RAIN does not disappoint in this area either. Stoddard fills Rain’s narrative with perfect similes and metaphors that speak to Rain’s character. Rain grew up in rural Vermont and her father loves to garden so this is evident in the way she views situations around her. The voice is flawless and the style reminds me of Jenni Holm’s MAY AMELIA and TURTLE IN PARADISE in this way.
“All the streets are one way, so we drive down 151st and back up 152nd, and we have to double-park the van because cars are squeezed all the way down both sides of the street with just inches between them. You wouldn’t even plant seeds in a vegetable garden that close. That’s why there were seven years and one month between Guthrie and me. Dad says to have to give things space to grow.” (This passage tells us so much about Rain’s observations in NYC, her relationship with Guthrie, and her father’s way of looking at things.)
“...both of our accents sound like twigs getting caught up in a weed whacker.”
“...the dominoes men call out to him, Hector, dropping the H and hammering the ec like a tomato plant stake driving against rocky soil.”
“I already stick out like a cucumber plant trying to survive in a potato patch.”
“I can’t get my dad out of his room, and being in apartment number thirty-one makes me feel like an overwatered plant whose soil has no more air pockets and whose roots can’t breathe because they’re drowning.”
“I wish she’d just cry so that I could cry too and it wouldn’t feel like we’re a retaining wall holding back soil that just wants to crumble out and is so tired of being packed in tight.”
I also loved Stoddard's depiction of life inside a classroom. You can tell she has been a teacher because sometimes in children's literature, classrooms can feel so cookie cutter-like. In Rain's classroom, kids blurt out, they socialize, they chant and cheer, they show anger, they make fun of each other (as kids do), but they learn lessons and come together too. The activities they do felt like thoughtful projects. Rain was in very good hands in Mrs. Baldwin's class.
I’m a big fan of Lindsey Stoddard. Her writing has a lot of heart and the kids I know that have read JUST LIKE JACKIE have loved it fiercely. I have no doubt that RIGHT AS RAIN will have a similar impact on kids, maybe even moreso. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
January 30, 2021
Passable story about a young girl (and her parents), moving to Washington Heights from Vermont, trying to deal with the grief of her older brother's death, which is painfully slowly revealed in chapters entitled "That Night." What I liked about the book was Stoddard's vivid descriptions about the vibrant, diverse, multicultural neighborhood in New York City, so different from her previous life. Of course, there is the usual trope of being the new kid, trying to fit into a new place and school, while her parents' relationship is coming apart, especially her father. 2.5 stars, rounded up.
January 20, 2019
As an adult still experiencing heavy grief, this story helped. Rain is a young girl a lot of kids will relate to, but so is Frankie, Amelia, Ana, and even the adults in the book. Lindsey does an amazing job of telling a story, one that needs to be heard. She also does a great job of hitting on every single characters individuality without overdoing it. Preorder now for a February release. I promise you need this in your classrooms.
January 10, 2020
Rain is ending the school year in a new place. Her mother has taken a job in New York City, so the family moves from Vermont to start anew.
Rain’s family is grieving the loss of her brother. Each family is dealing with the loss in a different manner. This is illustrated through the actions of each character. Rain narrates the story, but we get a well drawn family and how the loss of a child weighs heavy on everyone.
I like how Rain is becoming socially aware and that she represents “other” in her neighborhood largely made up of Latino families. The friendships forged feel realistic. There is subtlety in the themes of the book and I found that refreshing.
Rain’s family is grieving the loss of her brother. Each family is dealing with the loss in a different manner. This is illustrated through the actions of each character. Rain narrates the story, but we get a well drawn family and how the loss of a child weighs heavy on everyone.
I like how Rain is becoming socially aware and that she represents “other” in her neighborhood largely made up of Latino families. The friendships forged feel realistic. There is subtlety in the themes of the book and I found that refreshing.
January 26, 2020
I read this in one sitting and found it was a successful juggling of a wide array of intense emotional situations, complex characters, and adolescent relationships involving so many checked topics and themes that I doubted it could succeed.
But it did.
The story is set in motion when a grieving family leaves their sheltered, privileged Vermont existence behind to live in urban NYC. Not a New Yorker myself, I found the setting took on more character and heart than many books of that realm. I suspect those who are native to the area would connect even more so. The central sixth-grade character, Rain, has a voice that captures her many concerns and also hints at a degree of anxiety disprorger that predated their family's tragedy.
I loved the embedded literary reflections (Ivan the One and Only, Kwame Alexander's CROSSOVER) and the outstanding validation of sports in the lives of young girls.
This book came to me highly recommended but I did feel an immediate appeal to it, opting for other titles among the stack awaiting my attention. A library due date nudged me to get it read, and I'm happy I did. It feels like an important book for readers of any background or setting or current concerns, because it offers hope and rings true for the age of the central cast.
But it did.
The story is set in motion when a grieving family leaves their sheltered, privileged Vermont existence behind to live in urban NYC. Not a New Yorker myself, I found the setting took on more character and heart than many books of that realm. I suspect those who are native to the area would connect even more so. The central sixth-grade character, Rain, has a voice that captures her many concerns and also hints at a degree of anxiety disprorger that predated their family's tragedy.
I loved the embedded literary reflections (Ivan the One and Only, Kwame Alexander's CROSSOVER) and the outstanding validation of sports in the lives of young girls.
This book came to me highly recommended but I did feel an immediate appeal to it, opting for other titles among the stack awaiting my attention. A library due date nudged me to get it read, and I'm happy I did. It feels like an important book for readers of any background or setting or current concerns, because it offers hope and rings true for the age of the central cast.
January 29, 2019
This book broke me multiple times. Most of us have experience with grief and it can be impossible to deal with. Now picture you're a kid and you're in a new place and your older brother is dead and it's your fault. How Rain is functioning as well as she is is an actual miracle. (And she's not doing particularly well, but she's not catatonic. She's going to her new school and she's trying and she's making friends.)
This reminds me a little bit of Bridge to Terabithia, in that it takes these horrible situations and shows kids the way they really are. We live in a world where kids die and it's stupid and senseless but it's reality. And at some point, everyone is going to have to deal with grief. Right as Rain shows some really healthy ways to do that.
Recommended.
This reminds me a little bit of Bridge to Terabithia, in that it takes these horrible situations and shows kids the way they really are. We live in a world where kids die and it's stupid and senseless but it's reality. And at some point, everyone is going to have to deal with grief. Right as Rain shows some really healthy ways to do that.
Recommended.
May 6, 2019
There is a lot to like here. I especially loved the descriptions of Rain's New York Neighborhood, and its impending gentrification. I do find this author fairly predictable, but not in an intrusive way.
June 4, 2024
این آواز واقعا چیز فوقالعادهای است، مثل لذتی بزرگ است که از دل تاریکی میزند بیرون، مثل شادیای که از سربلندترین ساختمانها میزند بالا و بالاتر و تمامش با غمی که زیر عمیقترین تونلهای مترو تهنشین میشود، در هم آمیخته.
January 22, 2019
5/5 for RIGHT AS RAIN. Thank you to author @lindseystoddardwrites and @harpercollinsch for the free copy of this book to share with #kidlitexchange. All opinions are my own.
.
~
~
JUST LIKE JACKIE was a very special read for me in 2018 so I shamelessly begged Stoddard for a copy of her newest book, RIGHT AS RAIN. I'm so glad! This is a #heartprint read for me and one of my favorite reads of 2019 so far.
.
~
~
Rain is carrying a heavy burden. She is sure her beloved older brother Guthrie's death over 350 days is her fault. Meanwhile, her father won't get out of bed and her mother is trying to fix the family with a change of scenery, moving them from rural VT to the multicultural, diverse world of Washington Heights in NYC. It's the end of the school year, but Rain has opportunities to contribute to her new community -- as a friend, as a part of a 4x100 m relay team and in helping a neighbor keep her home. In giving back, it's just possible that Rain may find herself again and help her family heal, as well.
.
~
~
There's so much here -- a family dealing with unbearable grief, feelings of otherness in a diverse community not (yet) her own, gentrification and change, homelessness, adjustment to urban life and more. Rain and her new classmate and track teammate, Frankie, have a complicated relationship from the start that feels authentic and is richly drawn. Every character feels like he or she is fully realized. I found myself simultaneously wanting to race through the book to find out both what happens in the present and the past (the night Guthrie dies is revealed bit by bit in flashbacks) and also wanting to slow down and enjoy the characters and the writing. Lindsey Stoddard is a new must-buy #mglit author for me. If you missed Just Like Jackie, be sure to go grab it. Both Stoddard's works are stunning!
.
~
~
JUST LIKE JACKIE was a very special read for me in 2018 so I shamelessly begged Stoddard for a copy of her newest book, RIGHT AS RAIN. I'm so glad! This is a #heartprint read for me and one of my favorite reads of 2019 so far.
.
~
~
Rain is carrying a heavy burden. She is sure her beloved older brother Guthrie's death over 350 days is her fault. Meanwhile, her father won't get out of bed and her mother is trying to fix the family with a change of scenery, moving them from rural VT to the multicultural, diverse world of Washington Heights in NYC. It's the end of the school year, but Rain has opportunities to contribute to her new community -- as a friend, as a part of a 4x100 m relay team and in helping a neighbor keep her home. In giving back, it's just possible that Rain may find herself again and help her family heal, as well.
.
~
~
There's so much here -- a family dealing with unbearable grief, feelings of otherness in a diverse community not (yet) her own, gentrification and change, homelessness, adjustment to urban life and more. Rain and her new classmate and track teammate, Frankie, have a complicated relationship from the start that feels authentic and is richly drawn. Every character feels like he or she is fully realized. I found myself simultaneously wanting to race through the book to find out both what happens in the present and the past (the night Guthrie dies is revealed bit by bit in flashbacks) and also wanting to slow down and enjoy the characters and the writing. Lindsey Stoddard is a new must-buy #mglit author for me. If you missed Just Like Jackie, be sure to go grab it. Both Stoddard's works are stunning!
July 29, 2019
Loved this book--the characters, the plot, the writing! It wasn't an easy story to tell, it wasn't an easy life for the main character Rain to live (moving from rural VT to NYC and starting over with school and friendships, dealing with the hurt and her sense of responsibility for her older brother's death, facing the possibility that her parents might separate--because parents often do after the death of a child). Author Lindsay Stoddard made it all feel so true at the heart level and the gut level.
November 11, 2019
Maybe 3.5 stars.
I wanted to like this book more. Perhaps I would have if I were among the intended audience. With regard to writing style and choices, I was not a huge fan of the very frequent use of Rain's catch phrases (a big who knows, and that's a fact, the random percentages she used), but those were probably just quirks that didn't work for me. I found them eye-roll inducing after a while. That said, I appreciated Rain's poetry evolution. Her final poem was perfect, and I cried when she read it to the class. Their reaction was perfect and realistic.*
The only other thing I will note is that the divorce rate after child death is incorrect. The actual number is around 16%, or 1 in 6.25. That sounds like a silly point to quibble, but I think it is an important one. Marriage can be hard, no matter the circumstances of life. When the death of a child is thrown into the mix, it can be tremendously difficult. But those difficulties are not insurmountable. Marriages can and do survive the unbearable sadness of child death more often than the author indicated. Mine did.
[*My son was in 2nd grade when his sister died. His teacher and his classmates were phenomenally supportive through the entire process, as was his teacher the next year. One of the things that helped him, I think, is that he was able to express himself through writing. Creative writing prompts invariably led him to her. I was so grateful for that and wish my other son had had the same opportunities to express himself.]
I wanted to like this book more. Perhaps I would have if I were among the intended audience. With regard to writing style and choices, I was not a huge fan of the very frequent use of Rain's catch phrases (a big who knows, and that's a fact, the random percentages she used), but those were probably just quirks that didn't work for me. I found them eye-roll inducing after a while. That said, I appreciated Rain's poetry evolution. Her final poem was perfect, and I cried when she read it to the class. Their reaction was perfect and realistic.*
The only other thing I will note is that the divorce rate after child death is incorrect. The actual number is around 16%, or 1 in 6.25. That sounds like a silly point to quibble, but I think it is an important one. Marriage can be hard, no matter the circumstances of life. When the death of a child is thrown into the mix, it can be tremendously difficult. But those difficulties are not insurmountable. Marriages can and do survive the unbearable sadness of child death more often than the author indicated. Mine did.
[*My son was in 2nd grade when his sister died. His teacher and his classmates were phenomenally supportive through the entire process, as was his teacher the next year. One of the things that helped him, I think, is that he was able to express himself through writing. Creative writing prompts invariably led him to her. I was so grateful for that and wish my other son had had the same opportunities to express himself.]
September 15, 2018
Lindsey Stoddard has a gift with middle grade realistic fiction. Just Like Jackie is a favorite read for 2018, and so I was excited to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book due out in February 2019.
Rain’s family is navigating the loss of her older brother Guthrie. Her parents have dealt with their grief in opposite ways. Her mother is forging forward and starting fresh in a new city, new home, new belongings, and new job. Her dad is unable to even move through each day with any purpose or productivity. Rain is trapped in the middle of their aching hearts, finding her way in a new school at the very end of the school year with new friends, a new home, in a big new city, leaving everyone and everything familiar behind. She also carries the secret truth behind what happened that night when their entire life was abruptly sent into a downward spiral.
I love the vibrant community the family moves to, and the interesting characters Stoddard has created in this moving story about grief, loss, love, and moving on when our hearts are broken.
Fantastic middle grade novel!
Rain’s family is navigating the loss of her older brother Guthrie. Her parents have dealt with their grief in opposite ways. Her mother is forging forward and starting fresh in a new city, new home, new belongings, and new job. Her dad is unable to even move through each day with any purpose or productivity. Rain is trapped in the middle of their aching hearts, finding her way in a new school at the very end of the school year with new friends, a new home, in a big new city, leaving everyone and everything familiar behind. She also carries the secret truth behind what happened that night when their entire life was abruptly sent into a downward spiral.
I love the vibrant community the family moves to, and the interesting characters Stoddard has created in this moving story about grief, loss, love, and moving on when our hearts are broken.
Fantastic middle grade novel!
June 2, 2019
Absolutely wonderful book.
The main character is a 6th grade girl named Rain because her father is a sort of hippie gardener kind of guy. But 350 days ago she lost her older brother while her parents lost their son. And Rain blames herself. And she blames herself for the reactions her parents have: her mom becomes almost manic and decides to move from a rural part of Vermont to Washington Heights in uptown Manhattan, and her dad starts going into depression.
Rain is close to her father, and it is very hard for her to see him the way he is, and her mother isn't really showing any understanding as to how hard the move is, right before the end of school and the track and field championships.
But Rain learns of the pros and cons of living in New York, and she sees many of life's hardships right in front of her. But you know what, she decides to do something about it. This is a classic tale of struggle and triumph, but it is well-told.
The main character is a 6th grade girl named Rain because her father is a sort of hippie gardener kind of guy. But 350 days ago she lost her older brother while her parents lost their son. And Rain blames herself. And she blames herself for the reactions her parents have: her mom becomes almost manic and decides to move from a rural part of Vermont to Washington Heights in uptown Manhattan, and her dad starts going into depression.
Rain is close to her father, and it is very hard for her to see him the way he is, and her mother isn't really showing any understanding as to how hard the move is, right before the end of school and the track and field championships.
But Rain learns of the pros and cons of living in New York, and she sees many of life's hardships right in front of her. But you know what, she decides to do something about it. This is a classic tale of struggle and triumph, but it is well-told.
August 23, 2020
When you do a "pinky swear" you can't tell the secret, Rain is facing the fact that maybe what happened to her older brother, Guthrie, would not have happened if only she had broken her "pinky swear".
Now the family is moving to NYC, even though there are only about 2 weeks left in school - and she has to do the community hours, even though she has only that short amount of time to accomplish the mandatory 25 hours! More languages in the neighborhood and school than she can possible figure out what she's hearing.
Rain has run track events at her old school in Vermont - now she is faced with the possibility of running in an event on the first anniversary that no one in the family is looking forward.
Can Rain face all that which has been placed upon her small shoulders? Will she be able to face what is going on between her parents? Can she, along with Frankie, first her "enemy", now her friend, save the after school community center?
Now the family is moving to NYC, even though there are only about 2 weeks left in school - and she has to do the community hours, even though she has only that short amount of time to accomplish the mandatory 25 hours! More languages in the neighborhood and school than she can possible figure out what she's hearing.
Rain has run track events at her old school in Vermont - now she is faced with the possibility of running in an event on the first anniversary that no one in the family is looking forward.
Can Rain face all that which has been placed upon her small shoulders? Will she be able to face what is going on between her parents? Can she, along with Frankie, first her "enemy", now her friend, save the after school community center?
February 19, 2019
As soon as I saw the author’s name, I knew I was going to like this book. I fell in love with Rain on page one. This book grabbed my heart and held it until the last page. I laughed and cried and raised my fist in triumph right along side Rain. “Memories stick best when we tell them into stories with feelings and smells and colors, we tell the story of each one.” This is a tender, compassionate novel filled with hope. I hope you read it and enjoy it as much as I did.
September 16, 2018
I loved Stoddard’s second book even more than her first!
April 29, 2020
I adored this book and read it in one sitting while crying through the ending. The book contains so many powerful parts that are woven so smoothly together without seeming forced. Gem of a book!
October 11, 2018
A well written middle grade fiction novel that deftly deals with a young girl coping with the loss of her older brother. Nearly a year after his death Rain and her parents move from rural Vermont to New York City in a "geographical" attempt to move forward in life. As one might expect, the move is difficult on Rain. She has to adjust to a shockingly different environment, acclimate to a new school, make friends, all whilst holding on to a secret about the night of her brother's death.
Novelist Lindsey Stoddard manages to package Rain's story into an emotional and engaging story with a strong, resilient, determined preteen at its helm. This is very much a book of its time; concerns about the environment, the plight of the homeless, and diversity are themes throughout.
Although the story itself is not terribly original, there is a definite heart feel that is well executed. And who can find fault with a book that celebrates literature?
Novelist Lindsey Stoddard manages to package Rain's story into an emotional and engaging story with a strong, resilient, determined preteen at its helm. This is very much a book of its time; concerns about the environment, the plight of the homeless, and diversity are themes throughout.
Although the story itself is not terribly original, there is a definite heart feel that is well executed. And who can find fault with a book that celebrates literature?
September 10, 2019
Lindsey Stoddard is one of my new favorite Children's Authors. She is my new realistic fiction children’s writer. Her books are so full of every day life circumstances, emotions and the struggle of being a child with different situations. The ending works out but not like a fairy tale ending. The ending is always a solution, not the happiest but it works because real life isn’t always a fairy tale ending.
Just Like Jackie is also a wonderful book!!
Just Like Jackie is also a wonderful book!!
April 8, 2021
خیلی قشنگ بود شخصیتهاش خیلی واقعی بودن برام اولش فکر نمیکردم انقدر خوب باشه هر چی جلوتر رفت بهتر و قشنگ تر شد.
بخشی از کتاب:
فقط باز کردن چشم هیچ وقت قلبی را دوباره به تپش نینداخته و حقیقت همه است. همهی زندگی مثل چیزهایی نیست که توی کتابها اتفاق میافتد.
بخشی از کتاب:
فقط باز کردن چشم هیچ وقت قلبی را دوباره به تپش نینداخته و حقیقت همه است. همهی زندگی مثل چیزهایی نیست که توی کتابها اتفاق میافتد.
December 29, 2019
Rain is holding on to guilt over her brother’s death, so much that she won’t speak up to her parents about how her mom is running away and her dad is hiding away. Her mom’s running moves them from Vermont to NYC with just weeks left of the school year, where Rain feels like she stands out. Through running and new friends she finds her place and frees her voice.
Such a good story and great characters.
Such a good story and great characters.
September 9, 2018
A story about family, grief, friendship, community and finding your place. So many stories intricately woven into Right as Rain by LindseyStoddard! My favorite, “When you bury something deep, it grows up twice as tall.” For those kids dealing with grief, moving, family issues and just trying to navigate life, this one will resonate with them. Thank you for sharing for an honest review.
December 30, 2019
This was awesome, and I love the element of mystery and sadness, and how it all comes together at the end! It really gives you something to think about. At first, when I started on the chapters titled That Night, I was eager to find out what Rain was talking about. It was one of my favorite books! Read it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2019
So many sad and happy tears for this book.
January 15, 2020
This was my book by this author and boy can she write! The characters pretty much leap off the page, and you can just feel all the emotions. I read much of this today at the library and at the office and I'm sure people were wondering why the tears were falling, lol! You could feel Rain's pain, sadness, joy, laughter, compassion, and love as she experienced them. Themes included loving your neighbor, working as a team, and learning to lean on others, while symbols or motifs included running, hot chocolate, building a garden, and finding your voice in poetry. I absolutely loved this book and had a hard time putting it down! I've already downloaded Just Like Jackie so I can read more of her work!
July 18, 2019
I loved this book. The main character is relatable as she struggles with big feelings of loss, change, and guilt. As a teacher I also like that there are some more topics like gentrification and identity woven into the story that aren’t thrown into your face.
May 23, 2019
Live this tender story of loss/ hope. After losing her brother in a terrible tragedy (which she feels responsible for), Rain moves to NYC with her parents for a fresh start.. but as they try to move on, friendship and issues relatable to 10-18 year olds ensue and Rain is left to figure out how to grieve, how to move on/ fit in at her new school and keep what’s left of her family together. This one has all the feels. I laughed. I cried. I never wanted this story to end.
September 30, 2018
Captures so beautifully what it all feels like - being 12, moving away from everything you’ve known, guilt, the weight of secrets, the magic & heartbreak of stories. What a gift Lindsey Stoddard has given readers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews