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

Review - Beach Baby

Beach Baby
by Laurie Elmquist
illustrated by Elly MacKay
Date: 2016
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

A gentle, poetic lullaby for baby, filled with memories from a perfect day playing on the beach. Castles, sand dollars, seals peering out of the waves and the beat of the ocean become sweet reminders of all the magical things that await baby tomorrow. A lyrical celebration of natural beauty and a soft, reassuring reminder for little ones being tucked into bed that fun and adventure will return with a new day.

Elly MacKay's paper-theater worlds are a delight to behold and infuse the story with a sense of magic and wonder. Beautiful verse from Laurie Elmquist sets a calm and serene tone. A breathtaking board book that will be treasured and make a wonderful gift.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a really uneven book for me. I loved the pictures... but I kind of hated the text.

The book starts with the words, "Everything will be here when you wake", which sounds a little ominous to me. My first thought was, "Why wouldn't it be? Do you know something I don't know?" The rest of the "story" is just naming things one might see at the beach. I can't even tell if the words are supposed to be sentences; each line is capitalized, but there's zero punctuation. Well, I shouldn't say zero. There's one comma in there somewhere, and a period at the very end. So is it one long run-on sentence?

The illustrations are really pretty. They're soft and dreamy, with warm tones that make everything look like it's bathed in sunset. There's some neat stuff done with focus, too, leading to some interesting shifts of perspective. The copyright page states that the art was done with "paper, ink, light and photography". I would love to know the exact process, because some of the illustrations are pretty stunning.

I might recommend this one for the pictures alone, but the text is quite weak and not all that appealing. This could've easily been a wordless picture book and it would've been just as effective.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5