When the Clouds Came

PreS-K–With an apt metaphor using clear skies and clouds, this book explores the death of a loved one. Tsiang describes the changing weather, while Chen’s illustrations show the parallel emotions a Chinese boy experiences when his grandmother falls ill and dies. The sky loves the happy scenes that sunshine brings, like those of the boy and his grandmother working in a community garden. As clouds try to gather, the sky holds them back, in the same way the boy tries to contain his feelings when his grandmother is sick in bed. The night the clouds finally burst is the night the boy’s grandmother is taken away and doesn’t return. In wordless spreads, readers see the town in the stormy dark and, as the storm lifts, a diverse parade of neighbors bringing food and flowers for the boy’s grieving family. At his grandmother’s graveside, the boy finally releases all his tears, like clouds emptying of rain, until he is ready to move on. The tender watercolor and crayon illustrations in pastel tints serve as a lovely counterpoint to the text. The view from above of the ambulance with its bright headlights driving into the night and of the boy sobbing in his mother’s arms are especially affecting. An author’s note explains the Chinese tradition of creating an altar to honor a deceased loved one.