Let’s catch that rainbow is a kiwi tale about the dream to catch a rainbow. Hadleigh wants to know if he can catch a rainbow and sets out to do so, enlisting the help of his mum, his big brother and Dad and Dad’s mates. Dad tries valiantly to rugby tackle the rainbow, but they end up catching sheep instead.
The tone strives to be 100% kiwiana – stubbie shorts, beers, fishing – but it’s a little too old fashioned to really appeal – Mum stays at home, and the neighbouring woman (Mrs Stokes) wears a twinsets and pearls for example.
A retired kindergarten teacher, this is author-illustrator Ann Keane’s first children’s book, published through Mary Egan Publishing and distributed throughout New Zealand via David Bateman Ltd. The pencil watercolour pictures have a dreamy quality and the book is nice and bright.
It’s a challenge as a first-time author to write a children’s book that’s going to stand apart from the crowd; unfortunately Let’s catch that rainbow is missing a quality that makes it shine.
REVIEWER: Heidi North-Bailey