Those who have read The Cat in the Hat, by Dr Seuss, would understand how boring it can be on a rainy day. It may be difficult for adults to appreciate such a feeling – why are the kids just sitting there, staring at nothing, instead of grabbing the free time to do something useful!
Indeed, Christine Sun’s Rainy Day describes how a young girl puts her imagination into practice – by making up a playmate that looks exactly like her. Christine’s new friend is called Lorelei, the Princess of Light, who is imprisoned behind the clouds. It is Christine’s creativity that sets her free, and the world is again full of immense light and joy.
Interestingly, when author K.C. Remington tried to illustrate the book, he interviewed a series of girls aged eight to 28 in order to learn how the character Christine, aged 10, should look and talk. Even so, from the colorful illustrations, readers can still detect the warm and wonderful feeling that is prominent in Remington’s “Webbster & Button Children’s Stories”, whose main characters are a puppy and a kitten.
In a special bilingual format, Christine Sun’s Rainy Day leads adult readers to explore the mysterious languages that are English and Chinese. Kids can also sense the magic of colors and lines in the illustrations, for they are designed to inspire imagination. Perhaps you, too, can find that special friend of yours in this little book. |
