Day 81: Little Cloud

Anyone who has ever gazed up at the clouds and seen different shapes and creatures among them is sure to adore this book.   We just love it!  Like so many wonderful Eric Carle stories, Little Cloud excites the imagination while teaching us a little lesson in the process.  The curious little cloud ventures away from his friends, touching the tops of the houses and trees, then turning into all sorts of shapes -- a sheep, a plane, a shark, trees, a rabbit, a hat, a clown -- before finally joining his friends to do what all clouds are supposed to do... rain!  I love Carle's choice of objects the cloud becomes and its reasons for doing so.  ("Little Cloud changed into an airplane.  Little Cloud often saw airplanes flying through the clouds.")  It's a simple, lovely story that intrigues young minds and is a perfect book to read on a summer day.  After reading it, of course, you'll have to go out and do some cloud gazing yourself!  Be sure to read Carle's letter to the reader on the inside cover, as well.  I always love when authors do this, especially when it provides a bigger sense of why they wrote the story and what they hope the reader takes away from the book.   Happy cloud watching!