BOOKS: Cloudette

Congratulations to Thomas Shoop for winning this week's book giveaway!  While this contest is now closed, please come back to SixSeeds for more giveaways for good, family, fun!

At SixSeeds, we believe in the power of a good story.  The books our children are hearing and reading will move, inspire, and sometimes even shape their lives... even young lives. This week, we take a popular kids' book and examine it. Hopefully, the next time you're browsing though a crowded bookstore, our reviews will help you sort through the thousands of titles…  and you can choose wisely.

Title: Cloudette

Author and Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld 

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Cost: $10.20

Buy it: Here

Tom Lichtenheld, bestselling illustrator of Duck! Rabbit! has written Cloudette, a tale about a cute little cloud who struggles with feeling small and insignificant. 

While there are advantages to Cloudette’s petite size, it’s hard for her to sit back and watch her larger counterparts make significant contributions to the atmosphere.  To combat her frustration, she sets out on her own journey to greatness.   Along the way, she discovers she can’t create a waterfall or work for the fire department. But, when a thunderstorm lands her far away from her neighborhood, she befriends a frog whose puddle is dry.

How will she respond to the challenge?  Well, she musters up all of her strength and rains on them, causing a series of events that delights not only the frog, but his little friends as well. The frogs are grateful, and they aren’t the only ones who note Claudette’s achievement.

“Prodigious precipitation, pipsqueak! … Nice Work, Cloudy,” the Higher Ups shout.  Claudette did not miss their praise, and  it prompted her to think, “I’ll bet there are other big and important things a little cloud can do.”

The Bottom Line:

Cloudette works hard with what she has been given and blesses others with her abilities.  This is a good reminder that great things really do come in small packages! 

For Parents to Consider:

While it’s healthy for kids to dream (and sad when they stop), is anybody else a little weary of this predominant story theme? Aspire to do big and important things. Wouldn’t it be interesting for a noted children’s author, like Lichtenheld, to tell the story with a slightly different twist?

What if Cloudette had contently stayed put, faithfully doing her seemingly menial job year after year? How about the story of what it means to be faithful in the little things, or to show great fortitude in completing the mundane, day after day, week after week?

Perhaps there’s not a huge market for that story, but it’s an important lesson for children to learn.

It’s hard to muster it up the desire to be faithful in the small things. (In fact, it’s much more fun to dream about doing great things.) The story of simple faithfulness doesn’t typically make for great speeches or compelling video, but parents should not overlook this foundational virtue simply because the world so often points kids in a different, more grandiose, direction.

To Talk to Your Kids About:

Lichtenheld captures the effort it took Cloudette to rain down on the frogs. It wasn’t easy. We all have things that make life a struggle. It might be size, temperament, athletic ability, etc., but our travails give us an opportunity to practice perseverance.

What do your kids consider to be their weaknesses?

While the book’s emphasis is on doing great things, it also hints at some potential motives that may be complex. See if your kids can identify what different motives could be driving Cloudette to want to do great things. Was it for the good of others or her community? How important was the validation from the Higher Ups to her? (Kids, like their parents, are complex, and are rarely fueled by a single motive – helping them be aware of the implications is key.)

We are giving this book away this week! Please leave a comment for a chance to win. We always love to hear from you.

On one week from publication at noon (EST), we'll pick a name in a random drawing from all eligible entries received and send you an email notification.  When you receive your package in the mail, you'll find out which book you received!

Limit one (1) entry per person; NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C. who are 18 or older as of date of entry.