Lost in the Clouds: A gentle story to help children understand death and grief

by D.K. Publishing

Children find grief difficult, and understanding where a loved one has gone can be a tricky topic to explain...

Billy misses his mummy very much. She lives in the clouds. Some days the sun is shining and Mummy's clouds are nowhere to be seen. Those are Billy's favourite days. He and Daddy would play in the garden all day long, and Billy knows that Mummy is letting the sun shine for them. But not all days are like that. Sometimes Mummy's clouds are dark, and Billy feels sad and alone.

This moving and sensitively-written picture book gently explores grief and teaches children how to deal with their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one. With beautiful and colourful illustrations to accompany the touching narrative, this children's book is perfect for adults to share with their little ones and to help them understand what they are going through.


You don't have to weather the storm alone! The loss of a loved one can be a difficult topic to discuss with little ones, and this heart-warming book can help you support them through their stages of grief.

Follow Billy and his father as they navigate the loss of his mother through beautifully emotive illustrations and

- A large format book that adults and children can easily read together
- A sensitively-written narrative that helps children to process their grief and emotions
- Gentle full-page illustrations that allow children to become immersed in the story
- A non-fiction page that shows children and their families some of the ways to open the conversation about grief and loss

Written in collaboration with an experienced grief professional, Lost in the Clouds gently explores the topic of grief and teaches children and their family members how to understand and deal with their emotions surrounding the death of a loved one.

Genres: Picture Books, Death, Childrens, Grief, Family, Education, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

Published May 6, 2021

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Maede · Rating 4 out of 5]

بیلی مادرش رو از دست داده و حالا مادرش یک ابر توی آسمونه. بعضی روزها آفتابی‌تره و مادرش هست ولی همه‌ی آسمون رو نگرفته. بعضی روزها ابریه و مادرش نقش بزرگتری در آسمون داره. اما بعضی روزها بارونیه و ابرهای سیاه همه‌ جا رو گرفتند

موفقیت این کتاب در بررسی موضوع سوگ اینه که اول از همه خیلی مستقیم و بدون پرده میره سراغش. از جمله‌ی «مادرش رفت» یا هر جمله‌ی دو پهلوی دیگه‌ای استفاده نمی‌کنه و مستقیم میگه که مادرش مرد. سرشاخ شدن حتی با کلمه‌ی مرگ هم اصلاً آسون نیست. دوم اینکه پیدا کردن استعاره‌ درست در مورد مرگ که هم به مذاق افراد معتقد خوش بیاد و هم افرادی که اعتقاد مشخصی به زندگی پس از مرگ ندارند کار آسونی نیست که اینجا به بهترین شکل انجام شده. نکته‌ی سوم در نظر گرفتن سوگ بزرگسالان دیگه‌ست که اینجا پدر بیلیه. بخش خیلی بزرگی از سوگ که در موردش کمتر صحبت میشه اینه که علاوه بر درد و سوگ خودت، باید با درد دیگران هم زندگی کنی

این کتاب‌ از اون‌هاست که باید تو جعبه‌ی کمک‌های اولیه زندگی نگه داری، چون ممکنه زمانی بهش نیاز پیدا کنی

کتاب رو می‌تونید از اینجا دانلود کنید
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۳/۵/۱۰

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

چقدر این کتاب بحث مرگ و از دست دادن عزیزان رو خوب به تصویر کشیده بود. مهمترین قسمت برام این بود نشون میداد که فقط بچه نیست که دلش تنگ میشه و غصه میخوره، بزرگسال داستان هم با این سختی ها داره دست و پنجه نرم می‌کنه.
و برخوردی که نشون میداد بسیار بجا بود.

“It's okay to feel sad, confused, scared, or angry, Billy, especially when we loved Mommy so much” said Daddy.

I sometimes feel sad and angry, but you can always talk to people about how you’re feeling. You have lots of people who love you and will listen to you. Your aunts and uncles, Mommy’s friends, your teacher, and, of course, you can talk to me anytime.

آها باید از قسمت سخنی با بزرگسالانش هم بگم چون که عالی بود؛ این کتاب ها واقعا مفیدند.
- Listen to your child. It’s okay if you don’t have all of the answers right now, but it is important that they feel supported and heard by you.
- Make sure that they know that they can talk to you,...

با تشکر از گروه همخوانی کتاب کودک‌هامون.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little boy lives with his father, his mother has died and they both feel very sad. The little boy likes to think of his mother as a cloud. When he feels particularly bad one day, he tries to climb up to the clouds to see her. He falls and his dad catches him and they talk about how they are both upset and what they can do to feel better.

I hope this book helps those who are in this situation. There is some further advice and contact details on the back pages.

[Yeasin Reza · Rating 4 out of 5]

শৈশবে কোন এক শরতের রাতে উঠোনে দাদীর সাথে আকাশভরা তারা দেখে জিজ্জেস করেছিলাম -ওইগুলো কি গো? এত্ত জ্বলজ্বল করতাছে? তিনি হেসে বলেছিলেন - ওইগুলা হইছে বিভিন্ন মানুষ। মানুষ মইরা আসমানের তারা অইয়া যায়। নাইরকেল গাছটার উপর যে তারাডা দেখতাছোস ওইটা হইছে তোর দাদা। বুইড়াবেডা আমার হাড় জ্বালাইয়া ওহন তারা হইয়া আমার একলা দশার মজা লইতাছে।দেখ, কেমুন মিটিমিটি কইরা হাসতাছে!

[Shuk Pakhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

ছোট্ট বিলির ধারনা তার মা মরে গিয়ে মেঘ হয়ে গেছে। সে সারাদিন নানান সময়ে নানান বিষয় নিয়ে মায়ের সাথে কথা বলে মানে মেঘের সাথে আরকি। যেদিন রোদ উঠে বিলি বিশ্বাস করে এই রোদ তার মা তার জন্য পাঠিয়েছে যাতে সে বাবার সাথে বাগানে খেলা করতে পারে। আকাশ জুড়ে কালো মেঘ হলে বিলির মন খারাপ হয়।

বিলি তার মাকে ভীষণ মিস করে। তার বাবাও স্ত্রীকে মিস করেন। দুজনের মিস করার ধরন আলাদা, কষ্ট আলাদা তবে সব কষ্টের রং ত নীলই হয়। যে চলে যায় সে চলে যায়। কষ্টে পুড়ে তারা যারা বেঁচে থাকে। বিলি আর তার বাবাও এই কষ্ট নিয়ে বেঁচে থাকে। এই কষ্টকে সাথে নিয়ে আনন্দে থাকাটাও শিখে নিতে হয় মানুষকে।

খুব খুব সুন্দর একটা বই। বইয়ের বিষয়বস্তু ইলাস্ট্রেয়ন সবই সুন্দর।

[Riri · Rating 3 out of 5]

مواجهه با سوگ، برای کودکان.



«۱۱ مرداد ۰۳»

[nazanin · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب جموجور و قشنگیه برای هدیه دادن به بچه‌ای که تجربه سوگ رو میگذرونه یا قبل‌تر داشته، یا کسایی که دوروبر بچه‌ای هستن که این شرایطو داره. بچم از سنی که بتونه اینو بخونه بچه حساب میشه.
نکته‌ی قابل توجهی که نسبت به بقیه اینجور کتابا داشت این بود که حفظ روتین زندگی تو این شرایط و همینطور تفریح داشتن و خوش گذروندن نباید حذف بشه، این دوتا عملکرد، در آینده بازخورد اون شخص رو نسبت به از دست دادن‌ها میسازه. وقتی یه اتفاق ناگواری در آینده بیفته زندگیشو کنسل نمی‌کنه، به خواب پناه نمی‌بره و منفعل نمیشه و خودشو محروم و سرکوب از احساساتش نمیکنه.

[সন্ধ্যাশশী বন্ধু · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slice of love...😍

[Tasnima Oishee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute!

[Rubell · Rating 4 out of 5]

খুব ছোটবেলায় যে শিশুরা মা অথবা বাবাকে চিরদিনের জন্য হারিয়ে ফেলেছে, তাদের জন্য এই সুন্দর বইটা।

যে শিশুরা মৃত্যু ব্যাপারটা কি এখনও বুঝতে পারে নি, বুদ্ধি হবার আগ পর্যন্ত তাদের কিছু তো বুঝ একটা দিতেই হয়। কাউকে বলা হয় মা আকাশের তারা হয়ে গেছে, কাউকে বলা হয় মা চলে গেছে আল্লাহ/ঈশ্বরের কাছে, কাউকে বলা হয় মা আছে মেঘের মাঝে। ছোটরা হয়ত বিশ্বাস করে, তবে অবুঝ শিশুদের বুঝ দেওয়ার কাজটা বড়দের জন্য হৃদয়বিদারক। কিন্তু তারপরও মেনে নিতে হয়।

হারুন ভাই পড়তে দিলেন। ধন্যবাদ ভাই 🤍

[Narges Shegeft · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful way to overcome the loss of a close person not only for kids but also for adults.

It’s somehow peaceful to think of a lost person as a part of living nature so that you can soothe yourself till your grief passes.

[⎊Annie⎊ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like a children’s book on grief to start bawling in the morning 🥲

[Tawheeda Rufah Nilima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.🌸

[Greta Rase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Que lindo, que dificil es a veces hablar de la muerte con los niños y la última página con la guía pa los adultos muy padre.

[Camila Peña · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro está hecho para ser una herramienta para padres e hijxs para lidiar con el duelo de un ser querido, y pues no puedo hablar mucho de este aspecto porque ni tengo hijxs y no me tocó vivir algo así hasta que fui adolescente entonces no me puedo imaginar lo que es para un niñx lidiar con esto.

Me parece que es un libro lleno de ternura y no le quita peso ni dolor a lo que tanto adultxs y niñxs puedan sentir y creo que es bueno reconocer que es normal que duela y que haya días en los que es más difícil sobrellevarlo pero que al final lo importante es que sepas que no tienes que lidiar con esto solx y que hay cosas que puedes hacer para celebrar la vida de las personas que has perdido.

Me pareció un buen detalle que al final del libro viniera una lista de recursos y m consejos para adultxs.

Nota: lectura para investigación de mi tesina (:

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this was such a touching and heartfelt read!

We lost my grandma in December 2020 and I had to explain to my daughter what had happened and why my mum and I were upset and it was a really hard thing to try and explain.

This book is lovely and it deals with the subject to well. I loved the illustrations and the darker clouds, I liked how the clouds were over the dad too at times when you knew he was struggling – very subtle.

It is five stars from me for this one, a wonderful book and it deals with a really sensitive subject so well – very highly recommended

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poignant book that will support parents, careers and teachers when confronting the bereavement of a parent with a young child. The story of Billy trying to communicate to his mum through the clouds is beautifully told and the illustrations are pitch perfect to reflect to child’s and dad’s emotions. The use of clouds to reflect moods is not new but this book sensitively uses the analogy to help Billy understand and begin to be aware of the change in his life and how he can talk to any family member, friend or teacher about his emotions. Tom Tinn- Dinsbury has produced an excellent book which could be an invaluable resource to support counselling a young person and to discuss and share family bereavement. Highly recommended for younger children ( under 7 ) A book I would certainly recommend to friends and colleagues. The parental guidance at the end is also highly beneficial .
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance preview.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful message, well told and beautifully Illustrated, Lost on the Clouds is about grief, grieving and how to deal with your emotions. I love the fact that it also represents the surviving parent's side l howit covers the healing process such as talking about the your loved one and keeping them with you in your memories, overall a beautiful and very sensitively told story to help with grieving

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Sendy Octa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letting go is the hardest thing to do, this book teaches us how to deal with loss, delivered in a way that is easy for children to understand. At the end of the book they provide a further guide for grown-ups to explain children about loss.

[Monisha Mohtarema · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Something beautiful can grow in the stormiest weather,” said Daddy.
“We will plant a new flower next to it and they can grow together, side by side.”

Knowing that Abbu was watching over me
from his cloud!i will be brave, in the time of thunderstorm by myself.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fictional story about a boy and his dad who are grieving the loss of the boy's mom. Some people have said this book represents the stages of grief, but it rather touches on some of the feelings one experiences during grief and not the stages in order. The stages are recommended to bring someone through, but mixed up, the person can get muddled and stuck. It is written in a very didactic style, in my opinion, not written simply with words children can understand, but talking down to them. It feels like an adult telling a child what they should be feeling instead of mirroring what a child might feel. While I did like how the story showed both the child and the dad struggling through the emotions of grief, it didn't suggest any helps for dealing with that lost feeling when your parent is acting in confusing ways. There is a page of notes and resources in the back. The first suggestion to help a person going through grief is to be as honest as possible. This book, however, does not use that policy. besides the illustrations of a child climbing an impossible ladder in the midst of an otherwise realistic story, the book starts with the characters talking about how mom makes the sun shine and she is a cloud that communicates with them via weather. The folly of this is evident in the story itself as the child is confused by the moodiness of the weather and frustrated that he is talking to a cloud which cannot replace his mother. Later in the story, the dad suggests that sometimes he feels better talking to the cloud, but sometimes it makes him feel worse. If this were simply a fictional story, their course of action would be acceptable, but in a book so clearly meant to instruct children (and their adults) what to do in a similar situation, the whole concept seems self-defeating. As a parent, it has been my experience that truth really does bring comfort and help in healing, and honesty as well as sharing beliefs and questions do allow the child to grieve on their own schedule. This is muddied by the book's approach and so I would not recommend it as a tool for grieving families. It could, in some cases, be used as a conversation starter. Some of the associations in the back matter could be a good place to look for help, too.

[Louise (Bookmarks and Stages blog) Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sensitive, hopeful story with beautiful illustrations that deals with the topic of grief. Thanks to publisher - DK Children/Penguin Random House for gifting me the book to review.

The story about Billy losing his mum is sensitively handled. It tells a story using familiar things like the weather, especially focusing on the sky and playing in the garden. It's overall a positive story that can lift the heart. It also shows children how Billy finds comfort in clouds and sunny days. It therefore also gives children ideas for discovering hope and comfort, especially on sunnier days. These are Billy's happy days. The harder days are painted as more gloomy, stormy weather. So, this book cleverly shows different emotions through these weather changes, which can in turn help with some understanding of emotions experienced when grieving.
The book shows, not just Billy coping on some days and grief hitting hard on other days, but also how dad is going through this too and also missing his wife. It also shows father and son coming together in a positive way to help each other.
The book is beautifully illustrated throughout, which enhances the story, which in turn provides a relaxed opening for children and adults to discuss their feelings together. It essentially would do what it says it will in the blurb in helping children process and understand grief, as well as finding out that there is still lightness in life, even though some days can be hard.

At the end there is a useful "Guide for Grown-Ups" page with hints and tips how to help your child, how to approach the subject of someone dying and how to help them through their grief. There is also a section of resources so that extra support can be gained.
Here are some websites to some of those here:

Young Minds     Child Bereavement UK         Hope Again - Cruse Bereavement Care

[Lieca Brown Hohner · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every child grieving, this is a must read. I wish I'd written it.

First, my giant (yet unknowing) gripe: DK, thank you immensely for taking this story for publication. It is a gem. I do not know how your selections are made and under what ramifications, but I sure wish Tom Tinn-Disbury and Stacey Hart were given much more high credit for their beautiful work.

My review:
With precise wording, the story is written from a grieving child's perspective: "He liked to think she was now in the clouds." I, personally, have thought this about certain special people who've passed—even as an adult. Have you?

Billy shares how his bright days with Daddy are wonderful.

But, some days are heavier and he and Daddy don't jive. And the specific details from a child's view tell us this: "His eyes would always be looking far away..."; "his eyes would look red and sore."

You can almost feel and see how Billy is sad and heavy not only for himself but for his Daddy, too. This is something we don't realize with children; THEY LOOK TO US ABOUT HOW TO ACT/REACT.

Then he does what a child would: tries to climb to those clouds (dangerously). He tries as hard as he can, with child engineering and his loud voice.

Then he falls... into Daddy's arms. They then not only share their grief for Mommy, but also make a plan on how to talk to her. Daddy says it's ok to have all kinds of emotions about Mommy not being there in the house to hug.

Then, a rainbow. And a flower! And a perfectly placed analogy.

I love this book.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very commendable volume that portrays a grieving child. He imagines his deceased mother on a cloud, but of course clouds change – cloudless days mean happy play days with dad, cloudy days show mum's cloud front and centre, but stormy, dark, shouty, "Howl, howl, howl, howl!" days are the worst. What lessons could the youngster – and of course the reader – take from such a nasty, horrid experience? There will always be a factor for books like this that they're designed to have a specific purpose and end goal that isn't necessarily regarding their narrative. This is one such, where the real use of the book is not in showing the story, but in giving a lesson to young and old about coping with grief. That said, here the way the different moods are reflected in the weather and vice versa is highly dramatic. It does its best to make a decent page-turner out of a therapeutic example, and I'm sure it's going to be of vital, vital use to certain audience members, so I can't see a reason to mark it down at all.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Achingly, beautiful. An incredible book for helping children to unpick some of the feelings associated with grief. Billy's mum has died and we see not only the grief of Billy but also of his Dad, Billy likes to think of his Mummy as being up in the clouds. The weather very much at times mirroring his mood. One day, he really wants to talk to his Mummy and tries to climb a very tall ladder to see if she can hear him in the clouds. However, a storm is raging that puts Billy in peril. Fear not, Dad will be there to help comfort and soothe him.

It's a book with such raw emotion and you feel instantly connected to Billy. It's a lovely way to help families start talking about their grief and remembering their loved ones. It also shows a full spectrum of feelings that flood with grief and showing that these emotions are very normal.

[Khowla Hasan Roza · Rating 4 out of 5]

ছোট্ট একটি ছেলে, বিলি। ছেলেটির মা হঠাৎ করে মারা যায়। এতে সে আর তার বাবা দুইজনই এক কষ্টের মধ্যে দিয়ে যেতে থাকে। কিন্তু ছেলেটির বিশ্বাস মা মেঘের উপর থেকেই তার খেয়াল রাখছেন, তাকে দেখছেন। তাই সে তার যাবতীয় কথা মেঘের সাথে ভাগ করতে থাকে। ভাবলো মা পর্যন্ত কথাগুলো পৌছে যাচ্ছে। একদিন ছেলেটির মন খুব খারাপ হয়, স�� একটি বড় মই জোগাড় করে মায়ের সাথে দেখা করতে গেলো, মেঘের উপর। কিন্তু মাকে খুজে পাবার আগেই ছেলেটি পড়ে গেলো, ভাগ্যিস বাবা নিচে থেকে তাকে ধরে ফেলেন। তারপর ছোট ছেলেটি আর তার বাবা নিজেদের এই দুঃখ কষ্ট গুলো নিয়ে কথা বললো, এগুলো ভাগাভাগি করে নিল। বাবা বুঝালেন, মা সবসময় তাকে দেখছে, সবসময় তার পাশেই আছে। প্রিয়জনকে হারিয়ে ফেললে মন খারাপ করা, রাগ হওয়া, দ্বিধাদ্বন্দ্বে থাকা স্বাভাবিক। কিন্তু সেই বিষয়ে মন খারাপ করে একা একা না থেকে, কথা বললে হয়তো আমরা আরেকটু ভালোভাবে দুঃখটা কাটিয়ে উঠতে পারি।


কি সুন্দর একটি গল্প! ভালো লেগেছে পড়ে।

[Emily Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a lovely book for discussing the death of a loved one with young children. It talks about greif and the feelings they may be experiencing in simple, child-friendly terms and shares suggestions and ways of managing some of these. The pictures and colourful and bright, without overwhelming the sadness of the story. There is also a great parents guide at the back offering suggestions to adults of how best to discuss these matters with children. This is definitely a book I will be buying to keep in my classroom in case I ever need to discuss death with members of my class.

[MK · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very beautiful story.
The infant is still unable to accept the death of her beloved mother.

Anyone who has lost their mother at a young age will be able to relate to this picture book.

Life is impermanent and composed of suffering.
So, in the end, there is only a chain of suffering.

I liked that in the second half of this picture book, the father and son come together and decide to live happily together.

[Kimberley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publication Date: 2021
Outstanding International Book
Genre: Picturebook/Grief

Lost in the Clouds tells the story of Billy and his father as they deal with the loss of Billy’s mother. The book uses weather to show emotions, like sunny days and stormy days. The illustrations are gentle and colorful, making it comforting for young readers. This book would be helpful for talking about grief and feelings in the classroom.

[Barbara Band · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful gentle and sensitive book about grief and bereavement. Billy misses his mummy and know she lives in the clouds but when they are dark, he feels very sad and alone. Picture book for under 5s. Also has some guidance for adults on how to help bereaved children.