THE WILLOW UMBRELLA

Macmillan, 1993. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. New/New. Catherine Stock color illustrations. CONDITION: NEW 1993 Macmillan hardcover (blue boards) & dust jacket, first edition, first printing. Pastel and soft color illustrations by Catherine Stock. CONTENT: Using parts of the familiar nursery rhyme "Rain, rain go away" as a catalyst, The Willow Umbrella illustrates how disappointments can turn into interesting discoveries. Ashley sits gloomily at her window wishing for the rain to "come again another day" so that she and her friend can play dolls in the garden. Optimistic Rebecca appears barefoot with her yellow umbrella and suggests a walk. She calls attention to the sounds of the rain and the changes it brings to a familiar landscape. The girls find shelter under the limbs of a willow tree, make dolls from hollyhock blooms, and float them in the upside-down umbrella. This gentle story with a somewhat old-fashioned look quietly describes the sharing of new experiences. It's sprinkled with picturesque phrases and similies. Stock's double-page illustrations capture the mood of the text. Their muted backgrounds of streaked, soft watercolors create the effect of viewing the action through a wall of rain and allow the brightness of the umbrella to become the focal point for the friendship. K - 2