What a beautiful book. It encourages children to express sad and anxious emotions to help them feel lighter. The simple rhyming of the lines makes the book flow well and is easy for children to understand.

The book contains colourful and appealing illustrations–the cloud and duck characters suit the story well–and the text is written in a fun and visual way that will help children to follow along before they can read.

This is a wonderful book for pre-school children to help them with emotional regulation and sharing their big feelings with trusted loved ones.

Arc Review:
Overall Rating: 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Illustrations: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this books message, letting kids know that their feelings are valid and they don’t have to keep it all in and it’s okay to cry.
This book almost made me tear up, thinking back to when I was a kid I would of loved to be read a book like this.
I also have to say how fitting the illustrations were to the story.
Thank you NetGalley

This enchanting, charmingly illustrated book for children is the perfect aid to helping them sort through and express their big feelings like sorrow, grief, hurt, pain, anxiety....

A beautifully illustrated friendship between a duckling and a dark, sad, gloomy cloud, teaches them to express their feelings appropriately and not hold back, that tears have their place and are nothing to be ashamed of. It also shows them how to comfort by lending a sympathetic ear without judgement, whilst making the other person feel loved, secure, seen. The illustrations are apt and engaging with little hidden hearts in the pictures.

Perfect for teaching children 2yrs and over how to express their emotions appropriately.

I received an ARC. The opinions expressed here are mine alone

The cover sets the stage for the moral of the story as you view the cutest little yellow duck hugging a little dark cloud Thalia shedding tears. You see, the black cloud has fallen to earth due to its heaviness of sadness. We are not privilege as to why the cloud is overcome with sadness, but that doesn’t matter. Along comes a duck, who assures cloud he has friends and is never alone. The little duck listens to cloud and then duck proceeds to literally bottles up some of cloud’s tears explaining that tears are not something to hide or dismiss, rather they are part of the healing process. I found bottling tears odd but sweet. Duck is able to rouse cloud from it’s sad and lonely mood. Cloud then begins to lighten and whiten, then rises to the blue skies above.

There are a multitude of books about friendship, but the strength of this one is how she presents her message in such a gentle manner highlighted with pleasant and beautiful art.

This precious book made me feel like I’d been hugged.

This book teaches children about the importance of not keeping your emotions in and expressing them. I definitely recommend. The illustrations are cute as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are truthful and my own.

An inspirational tale about friendship and support.

The Tale of the Little Black Cloud is a story about a cloud that is so full of emotions and tears that it falls from the sky. Waiting for the little black cloud is a duck, a friend. The duck collects the clouds tears in a bottle while assuring it that there will always be a friend when the cloud is in need.

I think this story is beautiful, especially considering the inspiration for the story itself. This is a beautiful way of explaining that feeling emotions is necessary, and that there will always be someone there for you when you need it, even when you feel alone and so full of emotion you’re close to bursting.

I absolutely recommend this to parents with small children with big emotions. My daughter is very emotional, but she tries not to cry in front of people. I think this book will help her realize that sometimes the tears just need to come out to help us feel better.

My kids and I enjoyed this one so much. I love how it tells the kids that it’s ok to cry, and that they are not alone. What an important message — that you don’t have to shoulder your pain all alone. Thanks for the read.

Gentle, charming illustrations are paired with rhyming text in this heartwarming story of a little black cloud that learns its burdens can be lightened by opening up to a friend. This story models for children both what they can do when they feel sad (share with a friend) and what they can do if a friend is sad (be there for their friend). Except for one page where I felt the wording felt like it would be a little difficult for young children to follow, the text was both pleasing to the ear and easy to understand.

This book teaches children the important lesson that it’s okay to be sad and that it’s a feeling that will pass. With two toddlers in my house we talk a lot about feelings and this was a great addition to our bedtime stories. The rhymes flowed wonderfully and the illustrations kept my boys attention focused on the book.

1/02/2025

4.0 ⭐

When you are sad, you just need two things. Not being alone and just being able to cry. Something that might be harder with younger kids to be able to talk about feelings and letting them know that it’s okay to just be sad and not telling everything.

The rhymes and pure story are definitely a strength in this book making it really aimed at children and a way for them to learn more about grief.

Although not every verse seemed to go smoothly and sometimes a little too tinkered with, I am sure young children will love this cloud.

This is an ARC ebook thanks to netgalley

This evening whilst my 4 year old was having big emotions, I suggested we read this book together. The illustrations instantly calmed him down as he was curious why the cloud was so sad like him.
Karen has done a wonderful job with the rhyme and it's not too long for young children, I'd suggest 3+

It has such an important message of how it's okay to be sad and to feel down which I feel like is crucial for young children to understand, and know that these feelings are valid and that there will always be someone there to support them through what they're feeling.

Thank you Karen and Lori, this was a lovely way to calm my child down and he has even requested we buy it! So it shall be added to his Eid wish list!

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a warm thank you to Karen Brough, BooksGoSocial, and Netgalley for the Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

I can be a right sucker for a children’s book that has a bouncing rhyming scheme. If done well, they not only provide an entertaining story that may have a moral or other type of lesson to learn/message to impart, but they also teach the child about rhythm. I also like how rhyming schemes can help children with joining in as they anticipate the words to follow at the end of every other line.

I found this book to be a really lovely reminder that lets children know that it is okay to feel sad and to cry, and that by shedding those emotions, there is a journey towards healing. So often, young boys are told to be strong and not to show what are considered passive emotions and I think this book does a lot to turn that misconception on its head.

There were some lines that felt out of sync because the author was trying to adhere to a rhyming rhythm that was unable to incorporate all the necessary words within a set m=number of syllables, but overall, the story had a really lovely plot. I particularly liked how it emphasized that the cloud was loved and cared for despite their mood.

The illustrations were simple, yet effective. They had a washed-out feel and were select images that complimented the story against a plain white backdrop. The simplicity of the pictures allowed for the words to sink in whilst still providing visual cues that weren’t overly stimulating.

I would recommend this book to parents and caregivers of young children because I think the themes of friendship and emotions explored in the book are important and were done so in an efficient way. Had the rhymes been smother, I would have awarded full marks rather than 4 out of five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This book is important because it teaches young kids that it is ok to be sad sometimes. That is a very important lesson for children to learn. I especially liked the illustrations in this book.

This book is so incredibly sweet. The illustrations are very cute, but the message is what steals the show here. The rhyming scheme is fun and easy to follow for kiddos and their grown ups. The affirmations you hear in the book like “you are loved” and “you are cared for” are so important and impactful for young children to hear, and a great reminder of language caregivers should be using as well. I also love that it not only promotes friends meeting you where you’re at, but also being with you along to way to healing. The relationship between this duck and cloud are to be envied by most relationships between people. High recommend!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this delightful book with my little one. From the moment we opened the pages, we were both captivated by the vibrant pictures that seemed to leap off the paper, bringing the story to life in a way that felt magical. Each illustration was intricately detailed, filled with bright colors and charming characters that sparked our imaginations and drew us deeper into the narrative.

The illustrator truly did an exceptional job, skillfully capturing the essence of the story with their artistry. Every image not only enhanced the text but also added layers of meaning that we could discuss together. I loved how we could pause to admire the illustrations, pointing out little details that made us smile, and engaging in conversations about what we saw.

Reading this book was more than just a story; it was a shared experience that created lasting memories for us both. It allowed us to bond over the adventure within its pages, making it a perfect addition to our reading routine. I look forward to exploring more books like this one that stimulate our minds and nurture our love for stories!

The Tale of The Little Black Cloud is such a beautiful book about feeling sad, missing others, and the importance of friendships. It carries a really important message, showing that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed by emotions and that sharing those feelings can make everything feel lighter. The Little Black Cloud is weighed down by his sadness, but as he opens up and connects with others, he discovers that his worries can be lifted. The story is simple but powerful, reminding kids that they’re never alone, even when things feel tough.

The illustrations in this book are lovely and complement the story perfectly, with soft colors that create a warm, comforting feeling. However, I did find that some of the fonts, while aesthetically pleasing, might be a bit difficult for younger children to read. It’s not a dealbreaker, especially since this book is probably best read aloud, but it’s something to consider when choosing this for younger readers.

Overall, this book is a wonderful way to help kids understand that it’s okay to feel sad and express their emotions. It’s full of heart, with a comforting tone that both children and adults will appreciate. A perfect addition to any child’s bookshelf!

My little girl loved this one and I loved the message behind it, as well. She was sad that the cloud was crying but was so happy when the cloud was happy! It kept her engaged and she loved it. Thank you NetGalley

This book has such, such, such an important message for little kids to learn and even adults too! Adults often try to stop children from crying. We are taught to suck it up and stop crying because it upsets other people. However, tears are such a powerful way to let our emotions out so we can truly move past the feelings and enjoy life again. This book also emphasizes that you are loved and cared for no matter what hard things are happening in life.

My only feedback is that some of the words didn’t seem to flow well. However the kiddos didn’t seem to notice this at all!

The Little Black Cloud is weighed down by his worries and troubled by tears. Discover how his overwhelming day turned about with surprising results. Join the Little Black Cloud on a touching journey through the sky, where friendship and understanding await. This was such a comforting and cozy read for me! As a psychology student who works with kids, this is going to be such a great book to share with them.

Simple but lovely illustrations to accompany a simple story with a message: you are not alone and tears are okay when your feeling low.