Sora and the Cloud - Hardcover

by Felicia Hoshino (Author)

A curious child hops on a friendly cloud and has a magical journey flying through the sky. Features delightful watercolors and a bilingual Japanese translation.

Once a baby, now Sora is a boy who explores the world around him. First crawling and then walking, Sora soon learns how to climb a tree. Up there a friendly cloud awaits Hopping aboard, Sora embarks on a fantastic trip.

Curious birds, squealing kites and whispering fireworks whirl by as Sora and the Cloud share a breathtaking adventure in the sky. Along the way the Sora connects his past experiences with the present, which poignantly underscore how joyful memories of childhood and parenthood bind a family together.

ForeWord magazine: Children's Book of the Year: Bronze Medal Winner - 2011.

An acclaimed artist, Hoshino authors her first picture book, inspired by her own experiences as a mother to her son Sora: a growing boy enjoys the ultimate daydream - to soar like a cloud This wonderful flight of fancy is created in Hoshino's hallmark style: a unique combination of mixed media creates ethereal environments with subtle shading, and contemplative characters who invoke the innocence of youth.

Empowering themes of self-discovery, familial awareness, and cultural exchange, with colorfully expressive illustrations will prove popular with early elementary readers and teachers. Parents will appreciate the bilingual Japanese translation and informative glossary, which highlight how Hoshino sincerely shares her heritage with readers of all ages and backgrounds.

"It is tempting to label 'Miyazaki-like' anything appealing to children and Japanese in origin. But in this instance the analogy fits." - New York Times

Front Jacket

Hoshino's ink-and-watercolor spreads both provide historical information and convey the story's emotional weight--and do both with grace. - Publishers Weekly

A noted children's artist, Hoshino authors her first picture book, inspired by her own experiences as a mother. The growing boy Sora enjoys the ultimate daydream - to soar like a cloud!

Up in a tree a friendly cloud awaits! Hopping aboard, Sora and the Cloud share a breathtaking adventure in the sky. Birds, kites, and fireworks whirl by, as Sora connects his past experiences with the present. This poignantly underscores how joyful memories of childhood and parenthood bind a family together.

This wonderful flight of fancy is created in Hoshino's evocative style of mixed media. Plus the bilingual Japanese translation highlights the empowering themes of self-discovery and cultural exchange.

Author Biography

Felicia Hoshino is an award winning artist. Her previous book A Place Where Sunflowers Grow won the 2007 Jane Addams Children's Book Award, 2007 International Reading Association Notable, and San Francisco Chronicle's Best Books of 2006.

Felicia Hoshino was born in San Francisco, California where she continues to live with her family. As a student at City College of San Francisco, she enrolled in as many art classes as she could find, from figure drawing and ceramics to illustration and graphic design. Upon deciding to make art her career, she continued her education at California College of the Arts, where she earned a BFA in Illustration.

Felicia's prize-winning illustrations can now be seen in children's magazines Cricket, Spider and Ladybug and in children's books such as Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin and A Place Where Sunflowers Grow, both accepted into the Society of Illustrator's The Original Art exhibition. Her most recent book is My Dog Teny, published by Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.

In addition to creating mixed-media images for children's books and magazines, she enjoys illustrating children's portraiture, cooking with her husband and decorating the walls at home with art created by her son and daughter. Visit her website at felishino.com.