Rain Reign
Written by Ann M. Martin
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Copyright date: October 2014
Number of pages: 226
Age Level: 9-12
Realistic Fiction
Realistic Fiction
Rose Howard is a young girl with Asperger's Syndrome and an obsession with homonyms. Rose has special rules and obsessions that not everyone understands, including her single father. Her father brings home a lost dog who Rose calls Rain, a name that has two homonyms (Reign, Rein). Rose and Rain are basically inseparable and have a deep connection. One evening her father goes to a bar because he does not have the patience to handle his special needs daughter. Before he leaves for the bar, he lets Rain out. A huge storm ends up rolling through the town causing flash floods everywhere and Rain goes missing. Rose has to leave behind her safe home and routines to set out on a search for her best friend, Rain.
During the beginning of the book, I would do a lesson on homonyms. Students would create small poster for different homonyms including rain-reign, allowed-aloud, bald-balled-bawled, coral-chorale, and flea-flee. On each poster students will write the word, use each word in a sentence and illustrate each word. I would have students place their posters around the classroom and all the students would participate in a gallery walk to view all of the posters.