Cloud Boy

In this small-format (8" x 9 1/4") debut, the title character discovers the joy of creating beautiful things. Montijo creates a crisply defined yet soothing visual universe, shading in white clouds with the faintest of pencil grays against a field of sky blue. The hero, referred to as "the little cloud boy," has an oversize, droplet-shape head with winsome cartoon eyes and an appealing Kewpie-doll curl. He's lonely on the first page, but soon discovers that he can fashion a fluffy cloud into the shape of a passing butterfly. Once he discovers how to satisfy his own desire to do something and also gives pleasure to the tiny children below, there's no stopping him. Montijo keeps the narrative to one sentence per full-bleed spread, and draws the hero shaping bunnies and birds, flowers and fish from a never-ending supply of clouds, then sending them adrift. "Soon the sky was filled with his fluffy creations!" When the children down on earth wave back, "the little cloud boy knew that he would never be lonely again." While adults can read the story as an allegory of the artistic ideal, children will appreciate it just for its collection of benevolent floating creations. The hero resembles an airborne cumulus balloon-maker. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)