Need a picture book to show cause and effect (and you're sick and tired of various animals being given carbohydrates -- cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc.)?  Want to start a discussion on treating others with respect?  Perhaps you just want to get your kids to stop and think about their attitudes.

David Shannon's The Rain Came Down is engagingly illustrated (of course!), and the premise is simple: the chickens get rained on, and they SQUAWK!, setting off a chain reaction that stretches from animal to human and from family to stranger, ruining everyone's day.

Each encounter contains the opportunity to stop the crankiness, but negativity and bad moods reign supreme.  This philosophical lesson masquerading as a picture book by one of the best illustrators in the industry is an excellent spring board in helping kids discover the impact of behavior, words, and emotions.