Review - In the Clouds

In the Clouds
by Elly MacKay
Date: 2022
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A luminous journey into the sky for daydreamers and cloud enthusiasts big and small, from renowned paper-diorama artist Elly MacKay.

A bored and curious little girl wishes for a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. But a friendly bird soon whisks her off for an adventure in the sky, where she can contemplate questions both scientific and philosophical in nature: how do clouds float? Or carry the rain? Where do they go when they disappear? Are there clouds on other planets? Do they have memories? Have they ever seen a girl like her?

This dreamy picture book from the inimitable Elly MacKay features her trademark stunning, light-infused spreads that beautifully capture the wondrousness of clouds and the power of nature to inspire and stimulate imaginations.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is essentially a book of questions, highlighted by charming illustrations of a little girl as she imagines being taken through and beyond the clouds by a bird.

The pictures are absolutely lovely, with luminous backgrounds and paper-and-ink characters that seem to transcend the scene as well as be part of it. I don't think I've encountered Elly MacKay's work before, but it's intriguing and pleasant to look at; I'd love to see some of her other books.

While I was reading, I was a bit concerned that the book was going to be all questions and no answers. But there is a cute little page at the end in which many of the questions are answered. There's also an informative graphic that shows the various types of clouds.

Highly recommended for the illustrations alone. But also check this one out for the imagination aspect as well as the info about clouds.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books (NY) for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5