Review - The Cloud Lasso

The Cloud Lasso
by Stephanie Ellis Schlaifer
illustrated by Melodie Stacey
Date: 2019
Publisher: Penny Candy Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Big gloomy clouds have hung over Delilah's head and heart since her beloved grandfather died. But remembering an old trick he taught her, she lassos all the clouds out of the sky as she navigates her feelings of sadness and isolation. The Cloud Lasso is a poetic meditation on loss, memory, and paying homage to those we've lost.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This one just didn't work for me. The concept is way too abstract for younger readers, too simple for older readers, and so unrealistic that it's generally unhelpful.

I'm also not a fan of the illustrations. Aside from not really being done in a style I like, they're also a bit confusing as they don't always match the text. (We're told Delilah could see nothing but clouds for miles... when the blue sky behind them is evident.)

I'm also not sure about naming the grandfather Doo-Dad. I'm a grown adult, and even I had a momentary snicker. (Yes, we're told why he had that name, but the spelling doesn't make sense. I think it was just a poor choice.)

Overall, I can't really recommend this one. It seemed to be about dealing with grief... but I don't really see how lassoing turnip-shaped clouds and flying your dogs up to sit on a rainbow is applicable to the real world. It's likely that Delilah's dealing with her emotions via her imagination... but, like I said earlier, that's a bit of an abstract concept for a children's book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penny Candy Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.83 out of 5