In a green green forest in India, lived a baby elephant named Aanya.

Read-aloud note

Let repeated rain sounds become a soft rhythm while you read.

Story

Today the sky was turning silver-gray. Aanya had never seen this before.

She walked close to Mama. "What is happening?"

The path crossed the blue chair, the moonlit rug, and a little basket by the window.

Mama smiled with her kind brown eyes. "It is the monsoon, little one. It is here."

Plip... plop... PLIP-PLOP-PLIP! The first drops fell on the wide leaves overhead.

Aanya jumped. "What is that?"

Mama lifted her trunk and caught a drop. "It is rain."

The peacocks heard the rain. They came out from under the trees. They fanned their dazzling tail-feathers — blue and green and gold. They began to dance in slow happy circles.

Aanya watched, wide-eyed. "They are so pretty."

Mama dipped her trunk into a fresh puddle. SLURP. She sprayed Aanya with a warm shower.

"Eee!" Aanya squealed and laughed. The water tickled all over.

Aanya tried it too. She filled her tiny trunk. She sprayed Mama. PFFFT!

Mama laughed a big rumbly elephant laugh.

Frogs hopped out from every hiding place. "Ribbit ribbit!" They sang along with the rain.

Aanya splashed through a puddle big enough to swim in. Splash splash splash!

The whole forest hummed. Rain on leaves. Frogs in chorus. Peacocks dancing. Elephants laughing.

Aanya looked up at the silver sky. Rain on her face. Mama close by.

"I love the monsoon," she whispered.

And the monsoon, like a kind old friend, splashed back hello.

Then came the gentle surprise: the little sound was making a tiny path for a friend.

The little friend helped right away, tucked the tiny clue into a cozy spot, and smiled. At last, everything felt warm and close. Softly, softly, home we go. Tip-tap, softly we go.

Scenes

A Silver Sky

Today the sky turned silver-gray. Aanya had never seen this before. She walked close to Mama. "What is happening?" Mama smiled with her kind brown eyes. "It is the monsoon, little one. It is here."

Plip, Plop, Plip-Plop!

Plip… plop… PLIP-PLOP-PLIP! The first drops fell on the wide leaves overhead. Aanya jumped. Mama lifted her trunk and caught a single shining drop. "It is rain," she said softly.

Peacocks Dance

The peacocks heard the rain. They came out from under the trees and fanned their dazzling tail-feathers — blue and green and gold. They began to dance in slow happy circles. Aanya watched, wide-eyed. "They are so pretty."

Splash, Spray, Laugh!

Mama dipped her trunk in a puddle. SLURP. She sprayed Aanya with a warm gentle shower. "Eee!" Aanya squealed and laughed. Then Aanya filled her tiny trunk and sprayed Mama right back. PFFFT! Mama laughed a big rumbly elephant laugh.

Softly, Softly, Home We Go

Aanya looked up at the silver sky. Rain on her face. Mama close by. "I love the monsoon," she whispered. And the monsoon, like a kind old friend, splashed back hello. Tip-tap, softly, softly, home they went together.