Uncle Rain Cloud by Tony Johnston (2003-02-01) (edition 1872)

Summary: "Uncle Rain Cloud" is about a young boy named Carlos who has an Uncle Tomas. His Uncle misses being in Mexico and is always in a bad mood. He refuses to learn English and shows his distaste for it often. When the day comes to a close Carlos's Uncle tells him stories of Mexico which Carlos loves. They struggled with their relationship but soon Uncle Tomas allows Carlos to teach him English and Uncle Tomas continues to tell the stories that Carlos loves to hear.
Personal Reaction: The story line of the book was great. It was about family and acceptance. There was some Spanish in the story and the characters were relatible. The art in the book went right along with the characters and story line. The art was hazy as if you were seeing it in a memory.
Classroom Extension Ideas: This book would make a great introduction to different cultures. I would also use it when talking about extended families or the Spanish Languange. ( )