Rain Reign

By: Ann M. Martin

Narrated by: Laura Hamilton

Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Rose Howard has OCD, Asperger's syndrome, and an obsession with homonyms (even her name is a homonym). She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Rain was a lost dog Rose's father brought home. Rose and Rain are practically inseparable. And they are often home alone, as Rose's father spends most evenings at a bar, and doesn't have much patience for his special-needs daughter.

Just as a storm hits town, Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Rose will find Rain, but so will Rain's original owners.

Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose's point of view.

©2014 Ann M. Martin (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Multi layered

I'm a teacher and chose to listen to this book because I wanted to gain some insight.
When I began listening to this story, I perceived of it as a straightforward demonstration of the thought process of a 5th grader with Aspergers and OCD.

At first, I found all that homonym spelling to be mildly annoying and didn't know if I would want to keep listening. I'm glad I did. Before long, I warmed up to Rose and was drawn into her preoccupation with homonyms, numbers, and rules.

As the story proceeded, there was humor which was enhanced, in my opinion, by the narrator's performance. She was successful in demonstrating Rose's anxiety without going over the top.

By the time I neared the ending, I was aware of the many issues which were touched upon in this story; the great power of pets to reach out to people and bring them together, the lingering effects of abuse, questions of morality, bravery, empathy, and how people show love in different ways.

I was seeking insight from this book and got more than expected into a variety of issues. Good book for teens, good book for adults.

Beautiful

This is a beautiful story about the love between a girl and a dog, and doing what's right, being brave, and autism! Just a beautiful story.

I wasn't ready for it to end.

A poignantly sweet story with high morality on so many levels. The author shows insight into ordinary people and a real understanding of those of us with special abilities

Amazing

I wasn't sure about this book when I started. I went on audible and continued Rain Reign with the audible on and it really helped. Laura Hamilton really brought the emotion and everything went nicely and I loved it.

so beautifully refreshing!

it created a loving & allowing spirit to something that I had no understanding of before! and it opened a window to the possible mind of a high-functioning Asperger's child! it left me feeling expanded!

Good, but a little predictable

This is a decent book with a good lesson for kids about accepting differences. It can also help kids to learn more about autism. The only issue I had with it is that the main character feels more like a manifestation of every trait associated with autism than an actual person. The narration was a little forced in this regard as well. I doubt most readers will be as bothered by this as I was though.

Rain reign

I love this I am reading it in class so can skip ahead in the book!!! Don't tell my teacher!!!

Tearjerker!

Tear - tier. Now I like homonyms.
Beautiful but sad story. Real tearjerker. Great narration, thanx audible!

Dealing with the autistic child

A little goes a long way with this one. The main character lives life using repetition of homonyms as a means of coping. I get it. I've worked with autistic kids. But every time the story encounters a homonym (e.g., rain and reign, and also, rein...they are spelled out, which makes the story really drag). The girl at the center is well depicted and the narration is very good. But. I confess I "advanced" the book to skip huge swaths, and I still got the feel of the characters and the drift of the book.

Amateurish

Read Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime" instead. Much richer and more complex. Rain Reign has an idealized take on Asperger's. Please, for real, show me a kid with HFA who gets their homework done and fixes dinner every afternoon unsupervised plus can think on their feet enough to pack up all of their belongings upon inferring that they were being abandoned.