The Cloud Spinner [Hardcover]

Michael Catchpool (Author), Alison Jay (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: March 13, 2012 | Age Range: 5 - 8 years

One small boy has a special gift—he can weave cloth from the clouds: gold in the early morning with the rising sun, white in the afternoon, and crimson in the evening. He spins just enough cloth for a warm scarf. But when the king sees the boy's magnificent cloth, he demands cloaks and gowns galore. "It would not be wise," the boy protests. "Your majesty does not need them!" But spin he must—and soon the world around him begins to change.

From author Michael Catchpool and illustrator Alison Jay comes a magical tale about the beauty and fragility of our natural world, and the wisdom and courage needed to protect it.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month for Kids, March 2012: Gold, white, and crimson clouds, and the fine clothes spun from them, are as beautiful as you might imagine thanks to the illustrative magic of Alison Jay. Jay’s signature style adds a treasure trove of details to the pages of The Cloud Spinner, yielding new discoveries with every read. There is a bit of The Lorax and The Emperor’s New Clothes in Michael Catchpool’s elegant message and adults will appreciate the concept of conserving nature’s resources, while kids are sure to notice that it’s the wisdom of children that ultimately gives rise to change. --Seira Wilson

Review

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2012:
“There are definitely lessons about taking only what you need, about care for the needs of others and about listening to what is unsaid, but they are fully inside the story and only add to the pleasure.”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (March 13, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375870113
• ISBN-13: 978-0375870118
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.4 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and Ethereal May 11, 2012

By Andrew Schonbek TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This book resonates with ethereal and otherworldly beauty while delivering an important message.

It begins, "There was once a boy who could weave cloth from the clouds. He had a spinning wheel and a loom on top of a hill. As the clouds p[assed, with a whir of the wheel, he would spin them into thread; gold in the morning with the rising sun, white in the afternoon,and crimson in the evening".

The boy, taught well by his mother, "Enough is enough and not one stitch more", is a paragon of quiet wisdom. In this timeless tale he encounters a vain and boastful king whose greed disrupts the balance of everything. The intervention of a brave, resourceful princess rescues the kingdom from impending disaster.

She does so by asking the urgent question, "Is it too late to undo what has been done?"

Masterful illustration by Alison Jay complements the text in weaving this magical modern parable.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Destined to be a masterpiece April 23, 2012

By Penguin

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have purchased numerous Caldecott and Newbery award winning books and this one ranks up there with the best of them. Noted illustrator Alison Jay is at the top of her game with this beautiful book. Micheal Catchpool's story is whimsical and heartfelt with an important life lesson to tell. Short enough to keep the little one's attention, but long enough to tell a beautiful story. I bought this along with other beautiful stories like "Plant a Kiss," "Interrupting Chicken," "A Sick Day for Amos MGee," "Boy+Bot" and several Fancy Nancy books - all wonderful books - but the Cloud Spinner stood out among these classics. I highly recommend it!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful children's story-- with a fantastic, sharp princess! April 2, 2012

By sassymom

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

A lovely children's story with beautiful illustrations and a wise, magical story about the fragile nature of our world and the wisdom needed to protect it.

Our little one loves this story-- the illustrations are detailed and the story provides plenty of memorable lines. Fantastic children's book that is modern but with the charm and pacing of a classic.