Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin (published in 2014). 234 pages. 720L. R.L 4.3. Grades 3-6.  Yes, that's dog on the cover.  Yes, it is another dog book.  Yes, it is totally worth the read.

Kirkus Reviews starred (September 1, 2014)

A story about honorable living in the autistic-narrator genre that sets the bar high. Rose has a diagnosis of Asperger's, and her world of comforting homonyms, rules and prime numbers is repeatedly challenged by social interactions of which she has no innate understanding. Newbery Honor author Martin crafts a skillful tale that engages readers' sympathy for everyone portrayed in the story, even Rose's garage-mechanic, hard-drinking single father. He has given Rose a stray dog he found after an evening of drinking at the local bar, and Rose names her Rain. Through touching and funny scenes at school--where Rose has an aide but is in a regular classroom--and discomfiting scenes at home, readers come to understand how Rose's close relationship to Rain anchors her. But Rain goes missing during a storm, and when, with the help of her sympathetic uncle, Rose finds her dog weeks later, she is told that Rain was microchipped and actually belongs to someone else. Since following rules is vital to Rose, she must find Rain's original owners and give her dog back. Martin has penned a riveting, seamless narrative in which each word sings and each scene counts. There is no fluff here, just sophisticated, emotionally honest storytelling. (Fiction. 8-12)

Deciding what makes this book such a great read aloud is difficult.  When I think about the powerful story, I lean toward the characters.  They are more than they first appear to be.  Rose frustrates her father, classmates, and even the reader by her choices, but, in the end, her choices are what endear her to the reader.  When I think about the way Martin weaves homonyms into the story, I lean toward the word play.  Either way, the students in my fifth grade class loved it, it and inspired many to keep their own lists of homonyms.

by Kellie Hale