The Lonely Shadow

by Clay Rice

"The Lonely Shadow" brings together the timeless tradition of silhouette artistry and a story of friendship in a delightful book children and parents will want to experience again and again. A significant 21st-century folk artist, Clay Rice has taken silhouette art to a new level in his debut children s book The Lonely Shadow. Pioneering beyond black-on-white tradition into an active and colorful world, Rice tells the story of a lonely shadow who is searching for a mate. The fun begins when the shadow discovers a perfect a little boy lonely for a shadow. A lifelong singer/songwriter and accomplished musician, Rice draws from the rhythms of song to create the simple and lyrical story of friendship in a world where shadows play and imagination reveals what is not apparent at first glance. Throughout his stories and songs, Rice explores timeless themes of imagination, the natural world, friendship and family.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

60 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[Evianrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet little book about a shadow finding his boy. My 9 month old son also enjoyed this book. Simple shadow cutout illustrations, and an easy read for early readers. I might check this book back out again and pair it with a fun craft activity when he is older (tracing and cutting out our own shadows to hang up).

[1000springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful silhouette💕 cutouts💕💕

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one and can’t wait to have Clay Rice draw a silhouette of my daughter when she is older.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the use of silhouettes within the story. A different and intriguing method of telling a tale.

[Adri is Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and a sweet story of finding and belonging.

[Jennifer Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for the unique art style but found the story to be really cute.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lonely Shadow, a winner of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award, features silhouette art by author and illustrator Clay Rice. A lonely shadow searches for a mate and sings a poetic refrain during his search. Finally, a wise owl sends him to the playground. He finds a lonely boy and together the two traipse through the woods and the house until bed time.
The book would be appropriate for children between the ages of three and six. Children will appreciate the characterization of the lonely shadow and may wonder about their own shadow. Rice also features playful vocabulary and alliteration throughout the text. Additionally, the refrain that the shadow sings would be appropriate in developing phonemic awareness among young readers. Some young readers may find the book slightly long. Additionally, the books offers an opportunity to share silhouette art with children and provides a ready-made craft opportunity to accompany the reading.

[Donna]

THE LONELY SHADOW is a sweet, clever story about the relationship between a shadow and his mate. In the shadow's search to find who he belonged to, he would sing:

I have no you
you have no me,
you and me
we have no we,
but if I find you
and you find me,
happy we will always be.

How can you resist that? I just love it, and the vivid illustrations done in silhouette are simply stunning :)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love silhouettes and this book is full of them. It is an endearing story about a lonely shadow and I just love the song he sings:
I have no you
you have no me,
you and me
we have no we,
but if I find you
and you find me,
happy we will always be

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful.