''Cloud Boy'' is a children's picture book written and illustrated by creator

Rhode Montijo Rhode Montijo (born January 17, 1973) is an American children's book author and illustrator best known as the creator of ''Pablo's Inferno'', '' Cloud Boy'' and co-creator of the Flash cartoon ''Happy Tree Friends''. Career Raised in Stockton, C ...

and published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in 2006.

Plot

A lonely cloud boy lives up high in the sky. One day, a butterfly passes by and its beauty gives him a great idea. He soon fashions a butterfly from a fluffy cloud nearby and sends it adrift in the air so that others may see his beautiful creation. Soon Cloud Boy looks down at the earth, seeing even more beautiful and wonderful things. He begins to fashion more clouds in the shapes of what he sees, things like boats, rabbits, and snowmen. Soon, many of the children on the earth see his designs and take great delight in them. It is then that Cloud Boy learns he will never be lonely again as long as there are children below the sky who enjoy his artistic creations.

Reception

Reviews of ''Cloud Boy'' have been mixed.

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

wrote "comic artist Montijo explores the artistic impulse in a brief episode that’s as insubstantial as the clouds he depicts." and concluded "This debut may have some resonance for older budding artists, but for younger audiences it offers no competition to Charles G. Shaw’s ageless '' It Looked Like Spilt Milk'' (1947)." while

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

stated "Montijo creates a crisply defined yet soothing visual universe" and "While adults can read the story as an allegory of the artistic ideal, children will appreciate it just for its collection of benevolent floating creations. The hero resembles an airborne cumulus balloon-maker."

References

American picture books Children's fiction books 2006 children's books {{child-picture-book-stub