Once Upon A Cloud - Hardcover

Walker, Rob D.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0439688795 ISBN 13: 9780439688796

Publisher: Blue Sky Press, 2005

Synopsis

With whimsical, dreamlike illustrations, award-winning artist Matt Mahurin presents the wonder and beauty of clouds and the many forms they take in our imaginations.

"What are clouds made of, and why do they float? Are skies the water and clouds the boat?"
From cotton candy that melts in your mouth to comfy cushions where birds take their naps, clouds take on many shapes in our imaginations. This whimsical picture book by newcomer Robert Walker and acclaimed illustrator Matt Mahurin takes young readers on a fantastic journey through the skies, leading them eventually to sleep: "I know what they are, I've figured it out. Clouds are just dreams that wander about . . ."

About this title

From Booklist:

K-Gr. 3. From whimsical to fantastical, creative imaginings of clouds are presented in catchy rhymes and dreamy, charming illustrations. Scenarios range from predictable (clouds as cotton balls) to inventive (angels' ice cream). Richly hued and textured double-page spreads, with clever, often surrealistic details, are accompanied by embedded quatrains, adding drama and inviting scrutiny. Some vocabulary (squalls, for example) may confuse younger children, as might some of the allusions: "Are clouds puffs of smoke from Grandfather's pipe-- / or a monster that swallows / your runaway kite" appears with a picture of dark clouds, studded with kites that look like teeth, hovering over a conspicuously empty bench and Grandpa's smoking pipe left lying on the ground. The text invites participation, though it ends definitively: "clouds are just dreams that wander about." Still, this is an enchanting book, a good prelude to cloud-viewing outings, and great for inspiring individual interpretations. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Are clouds "the exhaust from alien ships/that leave puffy trails/when they go on their trips?" or cotton candy for giants or, maybe, "cushions/where birds take their naps,/resting their wings/and hiding from cats?" Walker's creative musings are engaging and readers can't help but join in the fun. Mahurin's amusing illustrations have a surreal quality that fits perfectly with the fanciful text. Colors are calming, with lots of blue skies and cottony clouds. This book would work beautifully with Charles Green Shaw's It Looked Like Spilt Milk (HarperCollins, 1947) for teaching a unit on clouds, but don't limit the enjoyment to young children. Keep a copy around for a quick mental-health break. Or grab a blanket and go outside to build your own cumulus fantasies. This book is a no-carb, guilt-free escape for anyone with a head in the clouds.–Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

About this edition

• Publisher: Blue Sky Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0439688795
• ISBN 13: 9780439688796
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Mahurin Matt