Tom McLaughlin, The Cloudspotter, Bloomsbury/Allen & Unwin, March 2016, 32pp., $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781408854976
Lonely young Franklin spends much of his time cloudspotting. Using his binoculars and imagination, he sees clouds shaped like mice, castles, racing cars, angry faces, ships and dolphins. He feels he always has company and exciting things to do but when a little dog joins him, Franklin realizes it is more fun with a friend. This is a simple story showing the value of the imagination and the way friendship can come in various guises. The illustrations are straightforward without a lot of detail. Youngsters would enjoy picking out the numerous subtle cloud shapes on every page. Ages 2-5.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Douglas
