C.L.O.U.D.S.

Chuku has a new job as a junior artist with Creative Lights, Opticals, and Unusual Designs in the Sky, or C. L. O. U. D. S. His first assignment, considered safe but dull for a beginner, is to create skies over New York City where it's raining and smoggy, and people don't look up. He starts slowly, but when a little girl in the park notices his sky, Chuku is inspired to greater works. He's so good that he gets promoted, right out of the city. On his last day, he uses letters to tell the girl, Chrissy, ""Hello down there.'' Of course, using letters is strictly forbidden, and Chuku loses the promotion, to his delight. Cummings's artwork is fantastic and futuristic, in pinks, purples and blues, but the story is encumbered by a lot of unnecessary text. And Chuku's lot is ambiguous: do we admire someone who is content to stay in one place, or has he bucked the system out of an act of love? (3-7)