Drizzle

Hi BookWorms! Today I’ll be reviewing the exciting story about coming out of your shell by Kathleen Van Cleve, Drizzle.

Polly Peabody lives on a farm and she couldn’t imagine a life without it. I’m sure many of you would love to live on a farm, breathing in the fresh air, but this is no ordinary farm. The Peabody Farm grows rhubarb that tastes like chocolate and a lake that it’s impossible to die in. They have a castle that belonged to an Italian prince and bugs that can speak or spell. But most mysterious of all is the fact that it rains at precisely 1:00 pm EVERY SINGLE MONDAY.

Polly lives with her mother who is religious, her father who is a scientist, her brother Freddy, her sister Patricia, and her caretaker Beatrice. Her grandma died four years ago so her Aunt Edith had to leave her life of success and money in New York to come and help maintain the farm. Polly loves her Aunt, but it turns out she might have ulterior motives.

Basford, a kid from Jamaica, came to stay with the Peabodys after his mom died. He becomes Polly’s second best friend, after Harry, a chocolate rhubarb plant.

Suddenly Aunt Edith shows a desire to sell the farm to a rich relative who wants to tear down everything magical about the farm, the chocolate rhubarb, the giant rhubarb, everything except the regular rhubarb. Thankfully Polly’s father refuses, although he is showing signs of being tempted by the large sum of money. Aunt Edith is furious because she isn’t used to being told no.

Strangely, and to the distress of the Peabodys, the following Monday it doesn’t rain. Polly’s older brother, Freddy,  gets terribly sick. The Peabodys have always depended on the rain to sustain their farm, so they don’t have a backup plan. So when it doesn’t rain the next Monday or the Monday after that, the farm  starts to wilt and die.

With the help of Harry, Basford, her science teacher Owen, and the farm, can Polly discover the secret to the magic, heal her brother and save the farm?

This novel is a great read about coming out of your shell and owning up to your mistakes and standing up for yourself. There’s really nothing violent or scary or anything “bad” about this book, but it was written for a fourth grade to middle school audience so I’d say around 9+.

Now, for my postly “how would I describe this book in 3-4 words”

Magical, sweet, and fun.

That’s all for now,

Camila!