Gogo and the Upside Down Umbrella
Gogo and the Upside Down Umbrella is an inventive, sweet example of an imaginative journey.
Gogo and the Upside Down Umbrella by Kathy Hill is a charming story about a grandchild and grandmother who have an unexpected adventure in a rainstorm.
On a rainy, windy day, Gogo and Q decide to go to the park. A sudden gust of wind picks them up and carries them into the sky. There, they discover a little blue house nestled above the clouds. They meet Mr. and Mrs. Raindrop, a friendly couple who invite Gogo and Q into their home and tell the pair about their life as rain.
Mr. and Mrs. Raindrop describe their family of raindrops, and how they work with the wind, the clouds, and the sun to water the earth. Their home is a wondrous place. Not only do Q and Gogo find it to be filled with anything they could ever want, but when it is time to return home, they get to slide down a rainbow.
The story is highly creative but simply told. Dialogue flows naturally, and the plot is well organized. The book is quite short, without enough length to fully develop its characters with strong or interesting personalities. There is no lesson at the end of the tale to make the book more memorable.
Accompanying illustrations are unsophisticated crayon drawings that do a good job of conveying both movement and emotion with generally happy figures. Though rough, they support the text, showcasing characters who might otherwise be difficult to imagine.
Gogo and the Upside Down Umbrella is an inventive story that is sure to bring a smile, serving as a sweet example of where an active imagination can take a child.
Reviewed by
Catherine Thureson
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
