Review Detail

Bear wakes up one day with a storm cloud hanging over his head. Not wanting to dampen the mood of his friends, he decides to stay home. But that’s hard to do when nothing seems to bring him joy anymore. THE STORM CLOUD follows Bear during this day as he struggles with the cloud lingering above his head. Can his friends help him ride out the storm?

THE STORM CLOUD is a very important story. It shows readers that sadness isn’t always a bad thing that needs to be shunned. Sometimes, it’s inevitable and it’s important for you to know how to ride the emotions out. It also shows how friends can help you ride out these emotions.

Beautiful, colorful illustrations decorate the pages of these books. Despite the somber feeling the book carries at times, the colors are no less muted. The illustrations are simple, rough around the edges in a charming style that feels very fitting for the story.

The story of Bear and his cloud is a really sweet one. Bear is struggling, at times growing angry or despondent because of his cloud. But his friends don’t just let him struggle alone. One friend in particular, Squirrel, knows the best ways to help someone with a cloud hanging over their head.

A beautifully written and emotionally woven story, THE STORM CLOUD explores the idea of letting yourself feel sadness when it comes. It doesn’t encourage letting yourself be swept away by it but rather accepting that sadness happens and learning to ride it out is important. Especially important for young readers who may not know how to manage their bigger feelings, this book is important for all ages.