Publishers Weekly
Lichtenheld, the illustrator of Shark vs. Train, turns in a quieter story about a small cloud and her search for a place to fit in (if the scenario recalls 2007's The Police Cloud, rest assured Cloudette stands on her own). It's not that she isn't popular with the larger clouds—"Everybody called her cute little names"—but that she wants to do things like "make a waterfall fall," things that are "big and important." And bigger clouds have a monopoly on creating storms, watering crops, and replenishing rivers. Sprinkled with punny jokes, Lichtenheld's polished spreads show Cloudette as a simple, scalloped-edged puff who looks mighty dejected as she tries to be useful. "Sorry, it's all done by machines," explains a man outside a marvelously retro car wash. Cloudette eventually finds a fine place to rain and gathers a raft of admiring comments. That Cloudette is neither bullied nor intimidated is an important point; she's the one who feels she has a special gift to give, and she solves her problem independently. Neatly constructed and nicely pitched, the message of self-reliance comes through as clear as a cloudless day. Ages 3–7. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
“Her [Cloudette] tale raises questions relevant to little children: Is there anything good about being small? Will I ever be as good as the big kids? What do clouds do anyway? They'll like the answers.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Cloudette gives a sky-high and playful perspective on our atmosphere and giving the world all that we have.” —UrbanBaby.com
“Little people who feel small and want to do important things will be inspired by Cloudette and will cheer when she finds her own pond-making mission.” —BookPage
“Lichtenheld's depictions of Cloudette puffing herself up for a fulsome downpour will delight children, and funny turns of phrase ("Even the higher-ups were impressed") will engage adults, too.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Reminiscent of the determination and courage of The Little Engine That Could, this title delivers its message with charm.” —School Library Journal
“The creator of Bridget's Beret (2010) offers here another appealing story featuring a plucky heroine. Applying a full-color palette to his watercolor, ink, and colored-pencil cartoons, Lichtenheld makes use of varying page space and panel techniques to add subtle details to his narrative.” —Booklist
“That Cloudette is neither bullied nor intimidated is an important point; she's the one who feels she has a special gift to give, and she solves her problem independently. Neatly constructed and nicely pitched, the message of self-reliance comes through as clear as a cloudless day.” —Publishers Weekly
Children's Literature - Mary Pearl
What kinds of things can a little cloud do to make a difference in the world? Cloudette is very small as far as clouds go; and while she enjoys her life, she is often reminded of all of the things that large clouds do that she cannot. Even if she wanted to snow so much that all of the children would get the day off from school, she is not big enough to do that. One day, a big storm comes through; and the strong wind blows her far away into a part of the world she has never seen. Cloudette soon makes friends in this new place and learns that there are ways she can contribute to the world, even if they may be out of the ordinary. The illustrations are extremely detailed and expressive, encouraging discussion beyond the text. Although this is a board book and meant for younger readers, the intricacy of the illustrations and the length of the text make it well suited for older readers who are prepared for the length and depth of traditional picture books. Many friendly characters can be found throughout the story; and even though Cloudette is different from many of her friends, they all work together to create a sense of belonging. This is an engaging and enjoyable read for young children with longer attention spans and their caregivers. Reviewer: Mary Pearl; Ages 3 to 7.
Children's Literature - Denise Hartzler
Cloudette is a very small cloud with a lot of advantages. She is able to sneak through tight places, she can hide in small places, she has a lot of little friends and she even has the best views to watch fireworks. She even has a special place to rest at night. One day Cloudette looks at the big rainstorm clouds and suddenly she wants to do something very big. Not knowing what to do, she starts to look high and low for a way to do something very big. On her journey, she discovers new friends, new adventures, and eventually her own happiness. Readers will feel like their heads are in the clouds with this endearing story. In typical picture book structure, the main character needs to figure out problems on her own in order to grow and in Cloudette's case, literally grow. A sweet story of perseverance and finding one's purpose in life will delight many readers, especially adults. Lichtenheld's illustrations are vivid and engaging. Reviewer: Denise Hartzler
School Library Journal
Gr 1–3—Reminiscent of the determination and courage of The Little Engine That Could, this title delivers its message with charm. A petite cloud believes that she is not big enough to accomplish what the big clouds can: provide enough rain to water crops or replenish a flowing waterfall or river. She is inspired by the accomplishments and "good-natured" acts of her larger kin and wants to have a positive effect on the Earth. She floats over a dried-up pond with one little frog hoping for enough rain to revive it. Can Cloudette move beyond what she believes are her limitations and do great things? Lively illustrations in ink, pastels, colored pencils, and watercolors create engaging spreads and characters that tell a story above and beyond the narrative. For example Cloudette's eyes and mouth grow tighter and her color changes from white to gray to black as she builds up enough steam to form that much-needed cloudburst. A few themes emerge for discussions in this multifaceted book, and there are plenty of details for children to discover. An excellent choice for a storytime or classroom. Well done.—Anne Beier, Clifton Public Library, NJ
Kirkus Reviews
Lichtenheld takes a charming turn with the "tiny but mighty" theme. Cloudette usually enjoys being small—she can cavort with birds and kites, and hide between skyscrapers. But she's wistful when other clouds do big things, like create cold fronts and water crops. Her imagination yields lots of wishes, depicted in ink-and-watercolor spot illustrations. "[S]he thought nothing would be more fun than giving some kids a day off from school," accompanies a snowscape with banks billowing up to the windows of the school and buses clearly going nowhere. No one seems to need a little cloud, but when she's blown clear out of her neighborhood, she's welcomed by new friends—an eagle, a bear and fluffy cumuli. She spies a frog in a former pond, now just a puddle of cracked mud, and has a helpful "brainstorm." Lichtenheld's depictions of Cloudette puffing herself up for a fulsome downpour will delight children, and funny turns of phrase ("Even the higher-ups were impressed") will engage adults, too. The whimsy would nicely complement a preschool or primary weather unit. The author even uses rainwater for the watercolor pictures. ("Thank you, clouds," he writes in the media statement.) Sweet and sunny. (Picture book. 3-7)
Kirkus Reviews - Kikus Reviews
Lichtenheld takes a charming turn with the "tiny but mighty" theme. Cloudette usually enjoys being small—she can cavort with birds and kites, and hide between skyscrapers. But she's wistful when other clouds do big things, like create cold fronts and water crops. Her imagination yields lots of wishes, depicted in ink-and-watercolor spot illustrations. "[S]he thought nothing would be more fun than giving some kids a day off from school," accompanies a snowscape with banks billowing up to the windows of the school and buses clearly going nowhere. No one seems to need a little cloud, but when she's blown clear out of her neighborhood, she's welcomed by new friends—an eagle, a bear and fluffy cumuli. She spies a frog in a former pond, now just a puddle of cracked mud, and has a helpful "brainstorm." Lichtenheld's depictions of Cloudette puffing herself up for a fulsome downpour will delight children, and funny turns of phrase ("Even the higher-ups were impressed") will engage adults, too. The whimsy would nicely complement a preschool or primary weather unit. The author even uses rainwater for the watercolor pictures. ("Thank you, clouds," he writes in the media statement.) Sweet and sunny. (Picture book. 3-7)
