Review of “Little Joe and the Big Rain” by Mike Darcy

Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)

Little Joe and the Big Rain is a charming children's story that follows the adventures of Little Joe, a black and brown puppy with floppy ears, and his friend, Hopper the frog.

The tale begins with Little Joe waking up on a warm sunny morning and soon encountering his friend, Hopper, who invites him to his home for some fly soup. Their journey takes a twist as they get caught in a heavy rainstorm and are forced to seek shelter in the forest.

During their adventure, Little Joe and Hopper meet several animals, including a white-tailed deer and a bear named Roxy. The bear initially seems threatening, but after Hopper helps remove a thorn from Roxy's back, she becomes their friend and offers them shelter from the storm. After the rain clears, Roxy guides them back to the field, and Little Joe returns home, eager to share his day's adventures with Anna, although she cannot understand his barking.

This delightful story is filled with vibrant characters and teaches valuable lessons about friendship, kindness, and helping others. The narrative is engaging and suitable for young readers, with illustrations that enhance the storytelling experience. Little Joe and the Big Rain is an endearing tale that children will enjoy reading, offering both excitement and heartwarming moments.

Something we really enjoyed about this book were the illustrations. They're somewhat simplistic and cartoonish, but they really reminded us of what you'd expect to see on Cartoon Network. Think Courage the Cowardly Dog or Dexter's Laboratory.

Similar to The Great Animal Escape by Linda Harkey, this is a very unserious book that's purely intended for entertainment and fun. It has a very light, carefree tone. Remember when the animals in The Great Animal Escape would just start jumping around or get distracted when serious things would happen? Well, that happens a bunch of times in Little Joe and the Big Rain as well. Little Joe, in particular, is easily distracted throughout the book. He has a wandering mind and a short attention span like most kids, so he may be relatable in that sense. He almost completely ignores Hopper when the frog is telling him his story. He also gets distracted by a red lizard while he's in danger of getting eaten by a bear! Silly Little Joe!

Kids will love him.

Little Joe has an innocence and nativity about him that's infectious. In contrast, Hopper is more grounded, realistic, and mature. That actually helps to show a contrast between the two characters. At the same time, Hopper is less mobile than Little Joe, probably because of his older age. So, Hopper is sometimes forced to rely on Little Joe to get him from place to place. It kinda reminded us of Traveling Companions by Tuula Pere in which the little boy and the old man rode on the back of the blind blacksmith, guiding him. It's always nice to see complementary relationships and to see characters acting as a team!

This is nitpicking a little bit, but we do wish this book were a little more focused. The characters, especially Little Joe, seem scatterbrained. Their minds seem to wander, and so does the plot of this book. It's also a bit on the wordier side for children's book, so this may be more appropriate for kids 9-12, perhaps.

Check it out on Amazon!