The Blue Umbrella

Kindness is a magical thing, and in this gentle picture book kindness comes from somewhere unexpected. When a seemingly ordinary blue umbrella is offered to provide shelter from the rain, it grows to accommodate anyone in need.

It was not supposed to rain on the day that a small blue umbrella showed up on the little girl's doorstep with a note saying "For you." But she decided to take it along just in case. And despite the odds, it did rain. Seeing that her mom was getting soaked, the girl invites her to come under the umbrella too. At first it seemed like they couldn't possibly both fit, but then something magical happened . . .

The umbrella grew. So they offered shelter to more and more neighbors. What should have been a tight squeeze was instead enough room for everyone.

This story is a true celebration of kindness and sharing, with poignant words from Emily Ann Davison and charming illustrations from Momoko Abe, and is sure to become a favorite for young readers.