Guardasola wants rain
Patxi Zubizarreta
Illustrations: Irrimarra
Ibaizabal, 2024

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30 years ago Patxi Zubizarreta published the book Marigoringoak hegan; J. M. Illustrated by Lavarello and by the hand of the Catalan publisher Edebé. Lately, however, we are seeing that publishers from outside Euskal Herria are less and less interested in child production in Euskera (for example, Mariasun Landa is bringing to Erein what was outside, or Atxaga has not published the Ata Pank and Ate Punky section in Spanish). The existing has also been decatalogued.

As a result of this policy, we have Zubizarreta's work in hand. It is not that old ladybug, but it is a new, updated and complete version of that story. With the vivid illustrations of Irrimar and the exhibition of the house Ibaizabal.
A girl storyteller, June, begins her narrative in this way. “This summer the sky has forgotten that it rains. The sky is blue and there are no clouds: no clouds, no thunder, no rains… nothing. And you can't swim anywhere!" Drought,
fires, high tension, climate change (kilimatic in the words of June)… and in the middle of that salsa, Grandma Inés suggests her niece to paint an umbrella.

And June will cite and comment on different expressions and beliefs, both with her friends and with herself, to bring the rain. Magic Puppet Formula, Missing or Killing the Butterfly; and although June wants rain, he doesn't want to kill butterfly and closing the book he has in his hand opens the window wide for him instead of killing the butterfly. In the end, the txorroskilero has come to the village, and “when the sharpener comes, that means it’s going to rain soon!” says the mother.

The story has a joyful ending, as June sings “plista-plasta, plisti-plust, mela-mela eta blai-blai!” in the memory of a butterfly that will already be in Africa.

The images of Irrimar perfectly reflect the tone and narrative of the narrative, making the text more understandable and turning this emotional and beautiful book into an accounting object to the smallest.