Home in the Rain

The extraordinary touches a seemingly ordinary moment of family life, in this tender, heart-warming story from the award-winning Bob Graham.

From multi-award winning author-illustrator Bob Graham comes a tender, touching story of family life, perfect for sharing when a new baby is on the way. Francie and her mum, who is expecting a baby girl, are driving home from Grandma’s in the heavy rain. When they're still far from home, they stop for a picnic. And as the car steams up, Francie presses her little finger on the window, spelling out "Daddy" and "Mummy" and leaving one space free, ready and waiting for the name of her soon-to-be sister... A beautifully observed celebration of the way inspiration can, and often does happen in the most ordinary and unlikely of places.

Thought-provoking storytelling, as ever, about a family finding inspiration in the most unlikely places. The Bookseller
Full of joy, understanding and warmth, Graham’s acutely beautifully observed celebration explores the way inspiration can, and often does happen, in the most unlikely of places. Exquisitely crafted illustrations complement a heartfelt and moving little story that captures both the ordinariness and the extraordinariness of a day in the life of a family that will be familiar to us all. Lancashire Evening Post
Children's Book of the Week - This poetic, ingeniously constructed tale shows children the familiar while stimulating empathy and awareness of others. The Sunday Times
Bob Graham provides plenty to pore over and to discuss in his tender depictions of everyday life. It's a lovely book to share, especially in those families where a new baby is imminent. Red Reading Hub
Home in the Rain by Bob Graham is a remarkable story from another mast of picture book art. [...] Graham has the confidence and talent to tell his sodden adventure like it is, even down to the state of the family car with "two stale toffees found under old parking tickets in the door". Young and old readers will be spellbound throughout this torrential tale. The Observer
“Graham creates the atmosphere not through excessive description; his prose is quiet, low key. Rather it is his illustrations that draw us in. The rain streaks across the pages, the water sprays out from under the traffic wheels. Above all there are the details, the different perspectives, nothing is forgotten. […] Exceptional.” Books for Keeps
“[…]Bob Graham can make the ordinary extraordinary. […]Memorable, expressive characters (Graham has, for decades now, created characters rich in diversity, well before it was a Twitter hashtag) ; a story that makes you think and have all the many feels; and warm, detailed illustrations: this book has it all.” Kirkus
“Perfect for any family awaiting their new baby.” Parents in Touch
“Perfect for peaceful moments, rainy days and bedtime reading, it demonstrates precisely how it is the little things in life that make big impressions.” Fallen Star Stories

Bob Graham is a Kate Greenaway-winning author-illustrator who has written and illustrated many acclaimed children's picture books including How to Heal a Broken Wing, How the Sun Got to Coco's House, Max, Jethro Byrde: Fairy Child and April Underhill: Tooth Fairy. His 2011 title, A Bus Called Heaven, is endorsed by Amnesty International UK and was the winner of the 2012 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award – a prize Bob has won an unprecedented six times. In 2014, Silver Buttons was awarded a prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award in Australia. Bob lives in Melbourne.

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