Rain Remembers

August 15, 2023
Amid new challenges, Rain Washington, the Black girl readers met in Rain Rising (2022), continues her journey of healing old wounds and loving herself. Changes abound during Rain's first year at City High School. Her beloved brother is away at college, she's in classes without her best friends, and she misses the healing circle she relied on in middle school for processing her feelings. To make matters worse, Rain isn't clicking with her new counselor, who makes their time together feel more like an interrogation than a safe space for growth. When a sophomore boy showers her with compliments and invites her to meet alone at his home, Rain must decide how to proceed. With everything happening, she abandons some of her coping mechanisms, and the sadness she once faced begins to creep back in. Fortunately, she still has her support system, and they rally around as she remembers who she is, that she has choices, and that she's more than the sum of her lowest moments. Contemporary issues are part of Rain's and her friends' lives, including the arrest and potential deportation of a close friend's beloved uncle. The rhythm of the verse is engrossing, successfully allowing readers to connect with Rain's struggles and triumphs. The authentic, skillfully paced dialogue captures the tension and evolution of Rain's feelings and emotions as she explores her first romance and heartbreak. A satisfying, well-written, and authentic sequel highlighting the ways healing and self-love are ongoing processes. (Verse novel. 10-14)

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November 1, 2023
In this sequel to verse novel Rain Rising (rev. 1/23), Rain Washington has begun to heal after a chaotic eighth-grade year in which her anxiety and depression (including body-image concerns) were exacerbated by a racist violent attack against her beloved older brother. Now entering her first year of high school, Rain must learn to contend with a whole new setting; and with family members busy or absent, old feelings of insecurity about her body begin to creep back in. Then Tommy, a charismatic sophomore, takes an interest in her. Bolstered by his compliments and attention, Rain begins to avoid her family and friends -- until she discovers that Tommy has ulterior motives. As her emotions begin to spiral down a dark and familiar path, the ongoing support of those around her reminds Rain of the importance of continually acknowledging her own self-worth and needs, even as she also acknowledges the needs of others. Comrie again proves skilled in discussing topics of harassment, mental health, and (via a subplot about a friend's uncle) the deportation system, in verse as lyrically captivating as that of its predecessor. Rain and her friends remain sympathetic characters to connect with and root for. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

March 29, 2024

Gr 5 Up-In this sequel to Rain Rising, teenager Rain Washington's journey continues as she navigates change while learning the importance of self-care and self-love. Rain is starting her first year of high school and feels struck by all the differences. Her older brother Xander is away at his first year of college and has been difficult to reach, the school psychologist is hard to open up to, and being a freshman in a school crowded with new people feels daunting. When she attracts the attention of an older boy, Rain experiences the thrill of being seen, but feels unable to talk about him with the people closest to her. With everything she is going through, Rain begins to isolate and her self-disparaging thoughts return; without the supports she had in middle school, coping feels impossible. While Rain may feel alone, her circle of family and friends help her remember who she is. As Rain pulls from her strengths and past experiences, she finds ways to continue her path toward healing and growth, inspiring those around her to do the same. Written in verse, Comrie's writing expresses the tenderness of Rain's interior world, allowing her experiences to resonate with readers and illuminate the power we each hold in making changes in our lives and communities. Comrie weaves in personal and systemic issues facing young people like mental health challenges, body image, divorce, the legal system, and family separation while expertly shining light on the ways that people of all ages can strive toward "progress, not perfection." VERDICT Speaking directly on social issues that affect youth through her characters, Comrie shares different pathways toward healing and empowerment. This title and its predecessor are an important pair of books for any middle grade library.-Sarah Pousty

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