It was a dark and stormy night as Brandon sniffed the bone dry ground soaking up the huge, hot raindrops falling outside his open window. This was the first rain in weeks. Yesterday, the spiky brown grass poked his bare feet when he played freeze tag in the yard with Molly and Tim. He stuck his head out the window and opened his mouth. The raindrops tasted sort of like the green plastic garden hose he slurped from when he watered the flower bed around the house.
His mother came in to say goodnight and instead, turned off his bedroom light and joined him at the window. "Brandon, What do you like most about the storm?" she asked as they stood looking at the raging storm outside. Brandon thought about it for a few seconds then replied, "I like the zig-zag flashes of lightning that are so bright I can see my rope swing on the oak tree in the back yard." Brandon's mom ruffled his brown rabbit-soft hair lightly with her fingers. "I like the way the storm fills the air with static electricity and it makes your hair stand straight up like this."
Brandon's dad entered the bedroom and stood slightly behind them. "You know what I like about storms? I like the big booming bass drum thunder, the whistling flute as the wind whips around the house and the snare drum sound of leaves rustling in the trees."
They continued watching until the fury of the storm died down. Brandon's mom put a flashlight beside his bed in case the electricity went out and they tucked him into bed. "Good night," his dad whispered. Then Brandon fell asleep dreaming about rainbows.
What a charming story. I can picture it all illustrated and being grabbed out of the bookcase by a slightly fearful young child when the thunder threatens. "Read about Brandon and the lightnin Mom" he will say as he clambers into his mother's lap. Bet the book will bring him comfort with it's simply told truth and he will giggle as his own mother ruffles his hair for him.
