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.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
Timeless and Ethereal
By Andrew Schonbek
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.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful.Destined to be a masterpiece
By Penguin
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!
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful.Beautiful children's story-- with a fantastic, sharp princess!
By sassymom
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.
