“The one thing a rainbow can do more than any other magic, is give everyone HOPE. And hope is what keeps everyone going.”

Bea is my original rainbow baby and her middle name is Hope. I think it was written in the stars that she would fall in love with Rainbow Grey, and she has! She has fallen hard for Ray Grey and the Weatherlings.

Ray Grey is 10 years old. She lives in on Cloud Nine in The Weatherlands, high above Earth.

The Weatherlands is a magical place, governed by the Council of Forecasters. Ray and her friends attend Sky Academy in the City of Celestia.

Ray Grey’s friends are all magical weatherlings and Ray wishes that she had special powers like them.

Though Ray is not magical she is wonderful. Brave, determined and resilient, Ray Grey is a much loved character in our home. She is an inspiring role model for dyslexic children, like my own daughters, who have definitely taken Ray Grey to their hearts. She inspires them to keep on trying, to celebrate their differences and to do things their own way at their own pace. Ray Grey shows young readers the power of being true to yourself and taking a risk every now and again.

Rainbow Grey is a story of family and friendship. This fast paced adventure is filled with weather magic, magical creatures, powers and objects. The Weatherlings use their magical abilities (and the odd omelette!) to battle and save the Earth from the rotten Rogues.

I am a huge fan of Laura Ellen Andersen. She has an amazing imagination and her world building is wonderful. I loved everything about The Weatherlands and loved reading the history of the weather world. I also love her slightly eccentric characters and glorious villains. I LOVE Coo La La in this story. If you do not know who I am talking about, you NEED to read the book!!

Bea, who turns 8 very soon, is having a Rainbow Grey themed birthday and we are taking great joy in all the preparations. We will be having pitter patter pancakes with sweet snowdrop syrup for breakfast. Lightning scones with skyberry jam for tea. A Weatherstones book themed treasure hunt. Rainbow magic potion play. Puddle-porting play. An omelette battle aka a water balloon fight. We will be Cloud Architects making shapes out of shaving foam and we will be playing Musical Thunder (bumps) and Lightning (statues). I am still planning so if you have read the book and have any ideas do give me a shout!

One small negative for me about this book. It is a very personal thing. There are lots of farts and bums, which I realise makes some children love this story all the more but it is the one thing that just does not sit well with me, though it did not stop me loving the characters, the magical world and the story of Rainbow Grey. And it will definitely not stop me reading Book 2, Eye of the Storm which Bea has already devoured.

Bea waits impatiently now for the third story in the series and I too cannot wait to follow Rainbow Grey with her friends and family as she grows and learns to harness her rainbow magic and use it for good.

In the meantime, back to the party planning I go to develop an idea around the Woodlings!

“For every storm, a rainbow WILL follow!”

Have you read Rainbow Grey?

If you could have weather magic, what kind would you like to have?

What would your Weatherling name be?