Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema

The story suggests the interconnectedness of events, sort of a child's version of systems theory. Strength/weaknesses: The repetitive pattern gives the reader a pleasant sensation of predictability which could possibly help enable emerging readers to work their way through the text. In particular it seems as though the way these two books illustrate interconnectedness between events and cause/effect relationships could justify the claim that they carry the same motif.

This book has much in common with 'Why Mosquitoes Buzz.' such as the setting, the way the events are linked one to another, the overall tone and feel, the source of the narrative. Summary: Published six years after her award winning 'Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears', this book is a beautifully illustrated cumulative rhyming tale about a drought in the Kapati plain of Kenya discovered by an anthropologist in the early 20th century who had noticed its a rhythmic pattern in the original telling reminiscent of 'The House that Jack Built.' I think it could be used with children in all elementary grades. Although Scholastic indicates “Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain” would be of interest to 3rd-5th graders, my kindergartener enjoyed listening to it.

According to Scholastic Book Wizard, the grade level equivalent for this book is 3.7. Topics such as drought and migration could be related to this book. It could also be integrated with social studies or science when learning about different ecosystems or weather.

Because of the repetition, students should be able to remember the sequence of events. It could be used to teach about rhyming or about story sequence. This book has rhythm and a cumulative refrain like “The House That Jack Built” does, which makes it a good read aloud. It was passed down by storytellers until it was written down in 1909. It is a simple story with a clever hero who saves the cattle. This story is traditional literature because it is a folktale. It is about Ki-pat, a herdsman who tries to make it rain during a drought so the cattle will have grass to graze on. “Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain” is a folktale from the Nandi people in Kenya.

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema