Title: To Catch a Rainbow
Author: Christine Bionaz
Publisher: Paper Bytes Marketing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-955205-01-6
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 30
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
To Catch a Rainbow by author Christine Bionaz offers a twist of the “pot of gold at the end of a rainbow” theme told in many fables. In this beautifully illustrated book, a young girl, Olivia, watches a storm brewing with dark clouds and lightning, and goes into her warm room to sit it out, and frankly enjoy it.
As her fantasy begins, a brilliant rainbow is seen after the passing of the storm which brings the thought to Olivia to go out and “catch it.” Knowing she has some time before needing to be home for dinner, affords her the opportunity to walk through town and into the woods to grab a hold of the rainbow. In the woods she loses track of the rainbow, but hearing laughter, she stumbles upon this little man cloaked in colorful garments. This man, Finnian, introduced himself to Olivia and asked if she would take his hand and go to a very special place. She agreed.
Olivia next found herself with happy feelings, surrounded by vibrant colors, sweet music and laughter. Over a blossoming hill they came to a castle, and upon opening the huge door revealed a gathering of colorfully dressed people sitting around a golden table. Listening to the tales of the people gave Olivia a feeling of warmth and love. “The more love there is in the world, the brighter and more abundant the rainbows will become,” she learned. This becomes the moral of the story. Olivia wakes up and realizes this was a dream, and being once again united with her parents at dinner time brings this story to an end.
Paced perfectly for reading at bedtime to youngsters, To Catch a Rainbow is adorned with lovely illustrations by artist Blair, offering the synergistic combination of text and pictures quintessential in illustrated children’s book of this genre. Having Finnian as a character, along with the light-hair and freckles of Oliver, shows a variation of the Irish Leprechaun which typically resides with the pot of gold at the end of rainbows. Yet in this case, bringing Olivia into the castle showcases the theme of love being the true wealth.
Instilling the theme of love is the best messaging to children, author Christine Bionaz has an original way to convey this message. To Catch a Rainbow is a fine book to give as a gift to a youngster as a birthday present, or to buy for oneself for a family library, as it would most certainly be reached by readers many times at bedtime – especially if there is a storm brewing outside!
