Cloud Babies by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Chris Judge

Cloud Babies by Eon Colfer, illustrated by Chris Judge. Candlewick Press, 2023. 9781536231076






Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3



Format : Hardcover picture book



What did you like about the book? Erin loved to imagine animals in the shapes of clouds – “a fox who was late for school,” “a snappy-happy crocodile.” When she gets sick and has to spend time in the hospital, playing cloud babies with her dad is one of the few things they can enjoy doing together. Erin is finally able to leave the hospital. When she goes back to school, she tries to share the fun of cloud babies. But her class doesn’t seem to get it, and cloud babies loses its magic for Erin. She starts to notice that she feels different with her hospital friends versus her friends at school. When her teacher suggests that the class take a field trip to the hospital, everyone finally understands the magic of cloud babies.



This is a heartfelt look at how a child must balance the different worlds they inhabit when they have a chronic illness. I think the book is a useful perspective for kids who have a classmate who spends time in the hospital. Inviting digital art with photographic elements shows Erin’s hospital ward and school along with the cloud babies seen through the windows. The cloud babies are adorable, and I imagine that this book will prompt families to spend more time looking at the sky and imagining. Erin and her family have white skin; doctors, hospital staff, teachers and classmates are racially diverse.



Anything you didn’t like about it? It’s hard to believe that sick kids in a hospital spend so much time playing. I also think that the text could have used a little paring down.



To whom would you recommend this book?  This book could be useful in parent/teacher collections on chronic illness. For elementary school readers.



Who should buy this book? Elementary school and public libraries



Where would you shelve it? Parent/teacher collections of books on chronic illness



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA



Date of review:  June 23, 2023