U is for Upsidedown Umbrella

We made this Umbrella U using:

Chipboard cut from a cereal box for letter base

Patterned scrapbook paper

Scrap of silky fabric

Brown pipe cleaner

Glue: stick and hot

Umbrella Related books we like:

The Rain Stomper written by Addie Boswell and illustrated by Eric Velasquez is an enjoyable rainy weather read. The little girl in this story is ready to lead the neighborhood parade but faces major disappointment when bad weather has takes over the town. She is determined not to let mother nature rain on her parade (he-he) however, and decides to make the rain part of her performance so the show can go on.

Thunder Cake by Particia Pollacco is a book with an emphasis on the roaring thunder rather than umbrellas and rain but I couldn't leave it off the list. The girl in this story has a fear of thunder but her grandmother has a way of calming her nerves by distracting her as they collect ingredients for a thunder cake (a cake made specifically for thunderstorm weather). We happened to be having stormy weather the first time we read this book so my kids were very intrigued by the tale. After finding the Thunder Cake recipe at the end of the book we headed straight the the kitchen to make our own. It made for the perfect play-date activity on a rainy day.

Lastly, for the wee ones, Who Likes Rain by Wong Herbert Wong is a cute little rhyming book about girl who explores her neighborhood on a rainy day. She discovers not everyone likes the rain. Super simple read, nice for very young readers.

(More about Project ABC)