Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian ScheerPictures by Marvin Bileck
Caldecott Honor Book (1965)
Published by Holiday House, New York 1964
Rain Makes Applesauce is a silly piece of children's literature that is sure to make students laugh and wonder. It almost reads like a poem with each page starting with a silly and made-up sentence followed by the phrase, "Rain makes applesauce". It is a treasure hunt on each page to find the saying "Oh you're just talking silly talk". It is a fantasy piece with excellent illustrations.
Marvin Bileck puts great detail into his fairy-like illustrations. They are sure to capture students' attention. The soft hues of color enhance the details through each page.
When I was a sophomore in college, I had a professor who read this book to us on a stormy afternoon. She told us how she would read this to her young students when it was thunder storming in order to calm them done and make them less afraid. I thought it was a great idea! Rain Makes Applesauce is the perfect read aloud because of its repetition and imaginative illustrations. Students can start choral reading with this book. Another possibility would be creating a classroom book based on the book. Each student could create a phrase with a silly saying and add their own illustration. It would fit well into a Poetry Unit or Creative Writing Unit. As a lower elementary school teacher, I would say this book is a must read for story time!
Scheer, J., Bileck, M., & Holiday House (Firm). (1964). Rain makes applesauce. New York: Holiday House.
