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Cloudland
Cloudland
48 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1996
3 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
John Burningham
158 books108 followershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bur...
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 16, 2022
Albert goes for a walk in a mountainous area with his parents. Disaster strikes and little Albert falls off the edge. His parents look for him and fear the worst. Luckily he is caught by the cloud children and begins a fun new life living in the clouds.
We loved the description of life in the clouds, the cloud beds that you could look over the side, the jumping games, painting by dipping your brush in a rainbow, and making noise with the thunder and lightning.
It's a clever story, there's a little bit of danger but nothing too frightening. It really gets children thinking about living in the clouds. It's a really fun book with a lovely sense of humour too.
The end is good, Albert missed his parents but you can't help thinking he regrets his decision!
This is such an imaginative story, the illustrations are lovely, very interesting and creative. This was a big favourite of ours and read a huge number of times, definitely into 3 figures, a wonderful bedtime read.
We loved the description of life in the clouds, the cloud beds that you could look over the side, the jumping games, painting by dipping your brush in a rainbow, and making noise with the thunder and lightning.
It's a clever story, there's a little bit of danger but nothing too frightening. It really gets children thinking about living in the clouds. It's a really fun book with a lovely sense of humour too.
The end is good, Albert missed his parents but you can't help thinking he regrets his decision!
This is such an imaginative story, the illustrations are lovely, very interesting and creative. This was a big favourite of ours and read a huge number of times, definitely into 3 figures, a wonderful bedtime read.
January 10, 2017
This mixed-media picture book about a boy who tumbles into the clouds and meets other children there totally made me want to collage a story.
But I won't because I know it is not as easy as it looks.
But I won't because I know it is not as easy as it looks.
January 15, 2025
سبک تصویرهاش چون کلاژ بود خیلی بامزه بود به نظرم.
داستان هم نسبتا کیوت.
داستان هم نسبتا کیوت.
January 19, 2010
I'm not sure how much I really liked this book but it is very creative and imaginative and I think I would have liked it as a kid as it is all about a boy who falls off a mountain while hiking with his parents and he ends up being rescued by the cloud children who live in the cloudlands and he has all sorts of adventures with them but ends up becoming homesick. The ending is very "Wizard of Oz" in the no-place-like home and did-it-really-happen sense.
May 3, 2008
My favorite illustrations of all time.
July 11, 2013
John Burningham's Cloudland is an imaginative story about a young boy, Albert, and his adventure in Cloudland. Whilst high in the mountains with his parents, Albert slips and falls off the edge of a cliff but finds himself being saved by the children of Cloudland. Although he enjoys his time playing games with the children, he soon becomes homesick and begins to wonder how he is going to get back home. With the help from the Queen of Cloudland, the Wind and a few magic words, Albert soon finds himself back with his family.
The Literacy value of this text is extensive. Classroom language and vocabulary skills can be developed through a simple listening and speaking task where children are able to discuss how to talk about past events, describe Cloudland and the illustrations in the book, how to ask and give personal information and also how to express personal opinions. As well as this Cloudland provides an opportunity for a number of writing tasks including writing a letter of thanks to the Queen, composing rhymes/magic spells using rhyming words, constructing a simple version of the story and invitations.
The cross-curricular links for this book are Art, Drama, Science and SEAL. John Burningham is known for his fantastic use of mixed media in his illustrations. In this book his use of photos, ink drawings, paints, pens and collage really enhance the impact of the story. Children could discuss and consider t of the e use of these materials and then be given a task of creating similar images with the same techniques used by John.
Albert's experience of a storm provides an opportunity to learn about the water cycle in a science class and also introduces the vocabulary attached to this cycle. Finally through the discussion and reenactment of Albert his relationship the children of Cloudland, children can be introduced to the importance of taking turns, fostering friendships and also valuing family connections.
Cloudland is a wonderful book to read and I will definitely use it within the classroom!
The Literacy value of this text is extensive. Classroom language and vocabulary skills can be developed through a simple listening and speaking task where children are able to discuss how to talk about past events, describe Cloudland and the illustrations in the book, how to ask and give personal information and also how to express personal opinions. As well as this Cloudland provides an opportunity for a number of writing tasks including writing a letter of thanks to the Queen, composing rhymes/magic spells using rhyming words, constructing a simple version of the story and invitations.
The cross-curricular links for this book are Art, Drama, Science and SEAL. John Burningham is known for his fantastic use of mixed media in his illustrations. In this book his use of photos, ink drawings, paints, pens and collage really enhance the impact of the story. Children could discuss and consider t of the e use of these materials and then be given a task of creating similar images with the same techniques used by John.
Albert's experience of a storm provides an opportunity to learn about the water cycle in a science class and also introduces the vocabulary attached to this cycle. Finally through the discussion and reenactment of Albert his relationship the children of Cloudland, children can be introduced to the importance of taking turns, fostering friendships and also valuing family connections.
Cloudland is a wonderful book to read and I will definitely use it within the classroom!
February 11, 2014
Our story time crowd was captivated by this gripping and fanciful story about little Albert who FALLS off a cliff while hiking back down a mountain with his parents.
Fortunately the children who live in the clouds saw him falling and said some magic words which had the effect of making him as light as a feather so he could be caught and put to bed on his very own cloud.
There are lots of adventures followed by a very satisfactory conclusion.
Burningham illustrates this drama by drawing cartoon-like people, cutting them out, and positioning them on beautiful double-page-spread color photographs. He provides plenty of breathing space on these pages for us to FEEL the powerful emotions suggested by the story.
Brilliant.
Fortunately the children who live in the clouds saw him falling and said some magic words which had the effect of making him as light as a feather so he could be caught and put to bed on his very own cloud.
There are lots of adventures followed by a very satisfactory conclusion.
Burningham illustrates this drama by drawing cartoon-like people, cutting them out, and positioning them on beautiful double-page-spread color photographs. He provides plenty of breathing space on these pages for us to FEEL the powerful emotions suggested by the story.
Brilliant.
March 16, 2012
This is a really interesting picture book. Burningham's illustrations have a distinctive style--one that would be fun for kids to emulate. And, this book in particular is a kid favorite. Haven't you ever wondered if you could play in the clouds? I know I have--imagined sitting on them, sleeping on the cushiony softness that appears....
February 11, 2024
It was a very interesting picture book.
After I read the book, I thought about the message conveyed by the author for a few minutes.
A child, Albert, who was hiking in the mountains with his parents, falls off a cliff and is rescued by a bed of clouds.
I think this means death. The children in the cloud world are all dead children.
None of the children living above the clouds are aware that they are dead.
Children who have passed away are playing together, drawing pictures, playing games, and drawing pictures.
Albert eventually remembers his life on the ground and starts to miss his parents and his room.
Then Albert was taught a magic word by the Queen of the Clouds to return to the ground, and Albert thought he had made it back to the life.
However, Albert could not say the difficult magic words correctly.
In other words, he could not return to the life.
So, although there is a scene at the end where he meets his parents and friends, they do not exchange words.
After I read the book, I thought about the message conveyed by the author for a few minutes.
A child, Albert, who was hiking in the mountains with his parents, falls off a cliff and is rescued by a bed of clouds.
I think this means death. The children in the cloud world are all dead children.
None of the children living above the clouds are aware that they are dead.
Children who have passed away are playing together, drawing pictures, playing games, and drawing pictures.
Albert eventually remembers his life on the ground and starts to miss his parents and his room.
Then Albert was taught a magic word by the Queen of the Clouds to return to the ground, and Albert thought he had made it back to the life.
However, Albert could not say the difficult magic words correctly.
In other words, he could not return to the life.
So, although there is a scene at the end where he meets his parents and friends, they do not exchange words.
May 17, 2024
Well, it's sad. Albert fell off the cliff when he was hiking with his parents. I didn't think that this children book would be started with such a heavy scene.
Then Albert was saved by the children who lived on the cloud. They brought Albert up and took care of him. They also invited Albert to play together. Like playing noisy music when the rain was going to fall, creating the thunderous rumbles; painting class with rainbows, etc.
However then he missed his home and his parents. The Queen of the Cloudland was confused because there was never a kid who wanted to leave the Cloudland.
I thought the scene would end in a hospital when Albert woke up from his comma. But it wasn't! A bit disappointed actually. It would make more sense if the last scene was taken in a hospital sigh.
The illustration is unique coz it mixes real photographs with hand-drawn raw illustrations that look like some sketches.
Then Albert was saved by the children who lived on the cloud. They brought Albert up and took care of him. They also invited Albert to play together. Like playing noisy music when the rain was going to fall, creating the thunderous rumbles; painting class with rainbows, etc.
However then he missed his home and his parents. The Queen of the Cloudland was confused because there was never a kid who wanted to leave the Cloudland.
I thought the scene would end in a hospital when Albert woke up from his comma. But it wasn't! A bit disappointed actually. It would make more sense if the last scene was taken in a hospital sigh.
The illustration is unique coz it mixes real photographs with hand-drawn raw illustrations that look like some sketches.
November 20, 2022
I like it, my children liked it when they were little. It wasn't our favorite picture book, but we liked its originality, both in the story and the illustrations. The made-up angel language gave us giggles.
The only drawback is that it is a very tall book, so it may not fit on every bookcase.
Buy it, or borrow it, if you crave something a little bit different. So many books are so forgettable and same-old same-old boringness. This one is different. Give it a shot.
The only drawback is that it is a very tall book, so it may not fit on every bookcase.
Buy it, or borrow it, if you crave something a little bit different. So many books are so forgettable and same-old same-old boringness. This one is different. Give it a shot.
August 28, 2018
Unique, old-school illustrations and a very British feel, CLOUDLAND is a very different sort of children's fantasy story.
January 5, 2019
it's beautiful
and the drawings are so dreamy
and the drawings are so dreamy
January 31, 2020
Another fantastic book by Burningham! Might be one of my favourite's by him, the story is heart-warming.
November 13, 2020
Personally wasn't such a fan of the art style in this book, with the mixture of photographs and illustrations.
October 10, 2021
A wonderful book about 'death' and how Albert missed his parents and wished to go back.
I think it's one of the good books for discussing about death with children.
I think it's one of the good books for discussing about death with children.
May 30, 2023
art is experimental and distinctive — although the story is a bit sinister :"))
November 12, 2023
I've never read something so strange - is he already dead?
December 27, 2025
Haven't read this since I was a kid. Found on my mum's bookshelf. Overwhelmingly nostalgic and quite eerie mixed-media artwork. Short and sweet. Loved it.
February 13, 2013
Paper cut-out people against cloudy, moody skies. A boy goes hiking in the mountains with his parents when - oops! - he falls off of a cliff. This opening device may strike some readers as jarring - like one of Roald Dahl's rhinoceroses on the loose - though you cannot help paying closer attention to even the most insignificant details of cloud-games and cloud-parties that follow because, jeez, is this really all happening? What about his poor parents, for heaven sakes? Everyone's fine in the end, but there's a whiff of the elegiac when the boy who has fallen and been rescued cannot remember the magic words that will recall him to everything that happened in between. It's an underrated trick to go from waking to dreaming and back again, and Burningham does it as well, and as boldly, as anyone. Good for many levels of understanding, and belief.
July 28, 2015
Play in the clouds with John Buningham's creative expression with the children who live in the clouds, as Albert discovers after he falls from a cliff. Adventures in the sky are wonderful to nourish the imagination. Children make lots of noise with musical instruments to help the thunderstorm and paint the rainbows that come shortly thereafter. When Albert becomes tired of being away from his family, the Queen finds a way for him to go safely home.
Excellent resource for exploring a variety of creative and artistic mediums.
Excellent resource for exploring a variety of creative and artistic mediums.
February 18, 2016
This book stirs the imagination. You can easily visualize children playing amongst the clouds in the sky. There was a reference to an upcoming storm where the children preceeded to be as loud as they could. I remember growing up with a story of people bowling when it was thundering and lightening. My kids enjoyed this book. I'm sure the next time we are outside on a nice cloudy day someone will reference this book.
December 24, 2007
An creative story suitable for children.
Read
February 17, 2010enchanting....
June 5, 2014
Notes:
photographs as background for drawn characters
adventure in clouds when boy 'falls from a cliffside'
neither of my kids asked to read it beyond the first time
photographs as background for drawn characters
adventure in clouds when boy 'falls from a cliffside'
neither of my kids asked to read it beyond the first time
June 14, 2015
A benign story about a child with a near death experience.
September 29, 2018
hello
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews