Felicia Bond

When it suddenly starts to rain hearts in this miniature picture-book from 1983, young Cornelia Augusta realizes that Valentine's Day must be close, and, taking advantage of the downpour, gathers the little red objects to her. Making Valentines from the windfall, she mails her missives of love to her friends, spreading the spirit of the holiday far and wide...

Although familiar with Felicia Bond's name, through the illustrations she contributed to the blockbuster picture-book series begun in show more If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, this little volume is the first of her own titles I have picked up. First published as Four Valentines in a Rainstorm (the edition I read), it was reprinted in 2002 as The Day It Rained Hearts, and has remained in print under that title. I found it a sweet little book, appreciating its whimsical story and simple but expressive art. It is a small book, which no doubt adds to its charm. Recommended to picture-books looking for matter-of-factly magical Valentine's Day stories. show less

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond is a picture book that uses imagination and has a theme of kindness and shows how to give to others. Cornelia Augusta catches hearts that magically fall from the sky and turns them into Valentines that she gives to her friends. She carefully chooses how to design each card based on who she was giving them to. The hearts act as symbolism, showing love, friendship, and thoughtfulness. The illustrations also are an important part in the book because they show more help readers see the different hearts and see how creative Cornelia Augusta is. She still makes Valentines for her friends even when the magical rain of hearts stops, this shows that you can be kind no matter what. This makes the book meaningful for young readers because it encourages them to be kind to others. show less

This story is a great story for around Valentine's day but it is also wonderful because it talks about how every heart that the girl caught was different. This idea is what makes this book so good for in the classroom because it could then lead into a discussion on how every person is unique but still we are all important. I think this book is perfect for students in 4k-2nd grade.

When I began reading the book, I assumed that the crocodile was an alligator and that the toad was a frog. Is this anti-croc and anti-toad bias? Or are the illustrations less clear and detailed than they should be? Nevertheless, it is an excellent book.