The other side of the clouds by Matt Samuel. Illus. by Tamlyn Teow

The child in this story is distraught. Something has happened in his life to overturn his equanimity and make him hold on to his sorrow. His parents try to bring him out of his despair, writing notes for him under his door. He sees the endless sea and sends letters to the person who has gone. He shivers despite the golden, sunshiny day, and listens to the unrelenting pulse of the sea. Nothing improves his loneliness and despair.

But in between the rain drops, he hears music, and it makes him smile. Even at school, he hunkers down inside himself. He searches again for the melody he heard before, but cannot find it. He makes a lot of noise: crashes, booms, howls and blusters, but all to no avail.

He decides to take charge of the clamour around him, and in the quiet he begins to hear the melody again. He races after the rainclouds and raindrops, making them all go away, taking his sadness with them.

Ethereal illustrations support this image filled story as a young boy journeys thorough his grief, to come out the other side with a better understanding of where his grief came from.  The clouds fill each page, and underneath the swelling sea does nothing to assuage his grief. I like the image of  the boy climbing stairs, as if trying to find a reason for his despair and climbing up to a point where it is diminished.

I suggest this be read before presenting it to a class as it may stir feelings of sadness amongst the group.

Themes: Sadness, Grief, Loneliness, Despair.

Fran Knight