The Cloud That Stuck

Some clouds just won’t go away. When one hovers above Tansy’s head, she learns to live with it through love, support, and creative thinking.

A timely picture book about mental health, resilience, and change—Tansy learns to adapt with warmth and understanding as she weathers stormy days.

Whoosh! On a blustery day, the wind blows a cloud over Tansy’s head, blocking the sun. She yells at the cloud and tries to outrace it on her bike. Her best friend, dad, and teacher try to help get rid of it, but the cloud won't budge. Then it rains on Tansy, and she forgets what sunshine feels like.

Having a cloud overhead feels like the worst possible thing in the world. Until Tansy gets rain boots and an umbrella. She plays in the puddles with her friends and even plants a garden and waters it with her handy, always present cloud! As Tansy finds ways to live with her cloud, she witnesses that flowers need rain, and so do rainbows.

Inspired by the author’s experiences with mental health, this book is for anyone who has faced challenges beyond their control.

“For anyone who’s ever tried to outrun their emotions, The Cloud That Stuck models how to embrace all that you are and all that you're feeling – playfully and beautifully.”—Liz Garton Scanlon, Author of Caldecott-honored All the World

“This wonderful picture book can help readers turn their ‘clouds’ into gardens and rainbows by accepting the help of others and by choosing positive reactions.”—Lesley Roessing, Literacy Specialist and Author of Talking TextsA young girl is troubled by an annoyingly persistent cloud.
One blustery day, the wind blows a cloud over Tansy’s head, and it can’t be dislodged, despite her family and friends’ best efforts. The cloud grows so big that it begins to rain, drenching Tansy. Her father gives her a raincoat and umbrella, her teacher points a fan in her direction, and best friend Rue joins her under the umbrella to play in the puddles—all of which helps “a little,” Tansy allows. Realizing that gardens like rain, Tansy proposes planting one; soon, she’s walking her cloud around every day to water the seeds. New flowers sprout, and the returning wind blows a hole in the cloud, just the right size for a sunbeam to peek through. In an author’s note, Krossing explains that her story is intended for anyone grappling with “challenges beyond their control” and adds that she drew inspiration from her own experiences with mental illness. Readers will be heartened that though Tansy’s support network does all that they can to help her cope, ultimately, she makes her own bright spot, largely through self-acceptance. Krossing imparts valuable messages to youngsters struggling with their own issues and to those that love them. Leung’s illustrations have a textured coarseness, making effective use of perspective and relying on slightly over-the-top visuals. Tansy is brown-skinned; other characters vary in skin tone.
A heartwarming and convincing tale for kids seeking to ride out life’s rainclouds.
—Kirkus ReviewsKaren Krossing wrote comics and poetry as a kid and dreamed of becoming a published writer. Today she is the author of many books for young readers, including picture books Sour Cakes and One Tiny Bubble and novels Monster vs. Boy, Bog, and Cut the Lights. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and regularly teaches writing workshops.

Dorothy Leung is the illustrator of several books for children, including The Keeper of Star and The Never-ending Sweater. She lives and works in Toronto. www.doroleung.com