Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed)

by Ged Adamson, Ged Adamson (Illustrator)

Overview

From the author-illustrator of Shark Dog!, Ged Adamson, comes this beautiful story about the power of friendship between a young girl and a very special rainbow.

The rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. And Ava knew that meant one thing…A RAINBOW!

And not just any rainbow—this was the most beautiful rainbow Ava had ever seen. She wished that it could stay up in the bright sky forever. When the rainbow was still there the next day, and the next day, Ava realized it was true—the rainbow had decided to stay! Everyone loved the rainbow as much as Ava. And she was happy.

But when people start to lose interest in the rainbow, Ava learns that sometimes the rare and special things in life are the most valuable and precious of all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062670809
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/02/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	637,947
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ged Adamson has worked as a cartoonist, a storyboard artist, and a composer for TV and film. He grew up in Liverpool and now lives in London with his partner, Helen, and their son, Rex. He is the author and illustrator of the first book in the series, Shark Dog!, and Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed). He is also the author of Douglas, You Need Glasses! You can visit him online at  www.gedadamson.com.

Ged Adamson has worked as a cartoonist, a storyboard artist, and a composer for TV and film. He grew up in Liverpool and now lives in London with his partner, Helen, and their son, Rex. He is the author and illustrator of the first book in the series, Shark Dog!, and Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed). He is also the author of Douglas, You Need Glasses! You can visit him online at  www.gedadamson.com.

Editorial Reviews

A sweet cautionary tale about a world that requires constant novelty...” — Kirkus Reviews

“Adamson’s animated cartoon artwork features comical, goggle-eyed characters rendered in loose, sketchy pencil lines and lots of bright watercolor washes, and the spectacular rainbow at the center of it all is charmingly expressive. Whimsical illustrations and a breezy lesson about value make this a great choice for group storytime.” — Booklist

“Satisfying illustrations by the author mix detailed pencil line drawing with swaths of vivid watercolor for visually appealing scenes with humorous details. On one especially delightful spread, the rainbow continues to beam over an otherwise dark town, casting a glow over the rooftops while residents look up in wonder. “ — School Library Journal

“The book is a good launching point for discussing themes of appreciation and gratitude; the message is clear without weighing down a lighthearted narrative.” — School Library Journal

“Children will thoroughly enjoy this colorful read-aloud, whether one-on-one with an adult or during group storytimes.” — School Library Journal

“The paradoxical notion that more is sometimes less is conveyed creatively and convincingly here...” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

Adamson’s animated cartoon artwork features comical, goggle-eyed characters rendered in loose, sketchy pencil lines and lots of bright watercolor washes, and the spectacular rainbow at the center of it all is charmingly expressive. Whimsical illustrations and a breezy lesson about value make this a great choice for group storytime.

Booklist

The paradoxical notion that more is sometimes less is conveyed creatively and convincingly here...

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

The paradoxical notion that more is sometimes less is conveyed creatively and convincingly here...

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Adamson’s animated cartoon artwork features comical, goggle-eyed characters rendered in loose, sketchy pencil lines and lots of bright watercolor washes, and the spectacular rainbow at the center of it all is charmingly expressive. Whimsical illustrations and a breezy lesson about value make this a great choice for group storytime.

Booklist

The paradoxical notion that more is sometimes less is conveyed creatively and convincingly here...

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

12/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—While this book's message isn't new—too much of a good thing ruins one's ability to appreciate it—the concept of a rainbow that comes to stay will charm most audiences. Ava is delighted when a rainbow appears over her town and is further gratified when it lingers day after day, catapulting the town to fame. Seized upon as the town mascot, the rainbow becomes a boon to local souvenir shops. The personified phenomenon wears a cap of snow in winter and becomes the scene of summer concerts—but eventually the town's attention turns to other things and Ava realizes that her rainbow friend may be better appreciated in small doses. Satisfying illustrations by the author mix detailed pencil line drawing with swaths of vivid watercolor for visually appealing scenes with humorous details. On one especially delightful spread, the rainbow continues to beam over an otherwise dark town, casting a glow over the rooftops while residents look up in wonder. The illustrations depict a diverse community of people whose facial expressions are easy to read. The book is a good launching point for discussing themes of appreciation and gratitude; the message is clear without weighing down a lighthearted narrative. A happy if predictable ending ties up the story. VERDICT Children will thoroughly enjoy this colorful read-aloud, whether one-on-one with an adult or during group storytimes.—Suzanne LaPierre, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

School Library Journal

2017-09-18
Rainbows delight with vivid colors, magical evanescence, and unpredictable appearances.When Ava sees a smiley-faced rainbow, she makes a wish: "If only you could stay forever." In her drab, gray room, she dreams that the rainbow remains and awakens to a colorful, transformed town. Tourists invade, the rainbow's image goes viral, and scholars lecture about rainbows. Despite great hardship during a cold winter, the colorful arc stays in place; but as time goes on, the townspeople ignore the rainbow's beauty. They even make it an eyesore, a handy surface for posters, neon signs, and antennae. When people arrive to view a Russian water sparrow that's just stopping over, Ava and the rainbow learn that it may be best for the rainbow to once again become "a rare and precious sight." A castle at the rainbow's end on the last double-page spread is the only hint that the book is set in England (Adamson's home). Ava is white, but there are a few brown-skinned people among the mostly white townspeople and the visitors. Cartoonish, loosely drawn renderings of the people and the buildings contrast with the smoothly fluid rainbow, green fields, and sky in the pencil, watercolor, and Photoshop digital illustrations. Adamson pays homage to Maurice Sendak in a final image of Ava dressed as "Really Rosie" singing to her rainbow friend.A sweet cautionary tale about a world that requires constant novelty that's just a little evanescent itself. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews