All Summer in a Day

Why not have a favorite book that is a short story?  And I mean short story!  Well, so it is for one RA.  The “book” is actually a short one by Ray Bradbury, who has been on this list numerous times with such books as: Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and Dandelion Wine.  This one is called All Summer in a Day.  It is a futuristic story of a girl who lives on the planet Venus and shares her experience of the day the sun shines on her community…. Once every seven years, as it rains there every day.  Margot, the protagonist is in school with her classmates as she explains how great the sun is, she transitioned from the planet Earth five years previously and describes the sun and its essence to her classmates.  As the scene begins, Margot has shared her beautiful poem about the sun and how the flowers bloom after the rain because of the sun, something her classmates can’t comprehend because they were not cognizant of the last time the sun had visited Venus, they were just babies.   Unfortunately, while the teacher is out of the room, the classmates trick Margot and lock her into the closet.  Just then the momentous occasion occurs the children run out to experience the warmth and beauty of the shining rays, all except Margot who remains locked in the classroom closet.  The children finally get to experience Margot’s description from her poem, and just then they remember - where’s Margot?  They run to get her to have her feel all that she wrote about in her paper.  They run down the  hall to go open the door of the closet where Margot is sitting, telling her to come down the hall and see all that she was talking about – experience the sun, the warmth, the beauty!  Guess what?  As they start walking down the hall they here the rain starting to come down on the roof, very heavy, as they do every single day!  What a sad moment.  Seven more years before Margot gets her chance for a few minutes of the sun providing its warmth to the students!  What would have been… poor Margot, Reminds us of the lost moments we have in our own lives.  There are many meanings to be had in this one, for all ages alike!  A great parable to share with folks who take so much for granted in this life.