Head in the Clouds
by
Published:
$19.95
By Rocío Araya
Translated from Spanish by Sarah Moses
Sofía goes to school every day but she still has a lot of questions. Why are grown-ups always in a rush? What number comes after infinity? Sofía’s teacher says she has her head in the clouds, she’s seeing birds. In collages of graph paper, worksheets, and newsprint, punctuated by scratches of graphite and bold swaths of bright paint, Sofía’s world springs to life. When she gives one of her birds to her teacher, her teacher’s monochrome world of blank paper and gray lines bursts into color, affirming the joy and necessity of always being curious. Inquisitive children, with a supply of questions as limitless as their imagination, will recognize themselves in Sofía, delighting in pondering her questions – and in coming up with more of their own.
Published on September 24th, 2024
Praise
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Araya, making her English-language debut in this work reminiscent of Jostein Gaarder’s Questions Asked, imagines a dreamy student and an on-task teacher clashing in the classroom . . . Fine art spreads combine sly, childlike line drawing, collage, and fiercely stroked paint that suggests the greens of institutional corridors and the free, endless blue of the sky
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Araya’s mixed-media art beautifully captures the controlled chaos of the mind of a child . . . [Head in the Clouds is] a graceful look at the power of harnessing the limitless possibilities of life.
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An open window into the precious creative force of a child’s mind and unfettered spirit, free of the obstacles settled by adults. The loose, energetic renderings on soft, dreamy palettes flit like the birds from page to page. An unsuspecting parent will want to read it again and again!
— Julie Rowan-Zoch, Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins, CO) -
Head in the Clouds is truly unusual, lyrical, and mythical.
— Judith Lafitte, Octavia Books (New Orleans, LA) -
A little girl sees her world through her imagination, and allows herself to ask questions and wonder without limitation. The adult in the book does not understand, and questions the little girl about having her head in the clouds, and all the birds she must see there. Some of the poems and questions may be high level for readers, while others seem to have come right from the mouths of real children. Illustrations add to and grow from the text. A highly artistic venture that grasps for meaning and reaches it.
— Rachel Garvis, Greenville Library -
Head in the Clouds is a beautiful exploration of the questions that children's ask with innocence and insight. Children will love the bright colors and whimsical nature of the book and adults will find themselves pondering these questions themselves. A beautiful, thoughtful story for readers of all ages.
— Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks (Durham, NC) -
Head in the Clouds has a lot to say to adults while also beautifully capturing those big picture questions that children ask so freely.
— Beth Pierson, White Lake Community Library, MI -
Creative and pleasant . . . Adults wishing to reach children with the story may approach it one-on-one to open fruitful conversations.
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In the seemingly simple text and child-like artistic style, a poetry and profoundness evolve. By the last pages, the reader has witnessed a subtle openness in the teacher (and quite possibly in the reader) to accept the bird Sofía offers and this gesture's invitation to follow Sofía and her classmates outdoors.
— Michelle Nott -
Araya’s mixed-media artwork is a highlight of the book. The illustrations beautifully capture the chaotic yet vibrant world inside Sofía’s mind.
— Momma Braga Blog