A respite from the blistering heat… children sailing paper boats… farmers waiting for rainwater to irrigate their fields… the monsoon means many things to many people. But what happens when ‘lots and lots and lots of rain’ gushes into fields and homes, washing everything away?

Using minimal, lyrical text and evocative visuals, Big Rain published by Tulika conveys the complex issue of floods and their aftermath in a commendable, straightforward manner.

Gayathri Bashi’s words express the enormity of the issue with remarkable lucidity that will appeal to young readers without overwhelming them. The watercolour illustrations by T.R Rajesh recreate the misty monsoon-feel effortlessly. The words ‘lots and lots and lots’ recur every few pages in bold print to emphasize the magnitude of the disaster. But the book sees hope being rebuilt with relief and rehabilitation measures and ends with a gentle reminder to care for the environment.

As natural disasters caused by climate change become increasingly common and news on catastrophic flooding hits the headlines frequently, this book leaves readers with lots and lots and lots to ponder over!

Also available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam.

By Aparna Kher