CLOUD PEOPLE and Other Scary Stories for Children

I'm in awe of the latest book to arrive in my mailbox. I opened it and couldn't put it down. It has to be one of the most imaginative books I've read. It's educational too!

To any child with an active imagination, the sky is often populated with people, animals and objects. As clouds take on various shapes, it is easy to imagine them looking down on us, speaking with each other, or rushing off on mysterious errands. In “Cloud People and Other Scary Stories for Children,” by Victoria Varley, the author offers a rhyming tour of the sky in her desire to educate and introduce readers of all ages with dozens of cloud characters. Narrating the comings and goings of the magical world that floats on high, almost every day, Varley uses whimsical verse to get the message across.

“At 13 years old, I learned to appreciate weather patterns and have loved the subject of cloud formations ever since,” Varley says. “Being able to forecast the weather is a lot of fun, but sometimes I have to force myself not to look up, and certainly to leave my camera behind or I would never come to the end of my cloud people characters, or the stories they seem to want me to tell.”
Written for the entire family, “Cloud People and Other Scary Stories for Children” features seasonal clouds photographed by Varley, which she then artistically enhanced to expose the mischievous characters she sees within them. Easy-to-recognize clouds like cumulus, cirrus, altos and stratus, plus their various combinations help to draw the reader in and encourages an understanding of the weather. An easy- learning experience for children and adults, this work is an up-to-the-moment and entertaining picture book exposing moody clouds. It was created to encourage us to have fun by using our imaginations but also to keep us safe.

Written for the entire family, we all enjoyed this creative book! We loved the various cloud illustrations inside. The clouds have been given life! In the book "CLOUD PEOPLE and Other Scary Stories for Children" you will see clouds in a new way. You will be inspired to go outside and look up at the sky and let your imagination run wild! I enjoyed reading about fronts and I really enjoyed reading about the horse shaped Alto. My children loved the pictures so much, they have taken notebooks outside to draw what they see! That's not even the best part. I've read stories that rhyme before. They are my favorite books to read. This book goes way beyond my initial hopes. It's longer and it flows beautifully. The author is absolutely brilliant because she created this whimsical world and she can tell the tale in perfect rhyme, without letting the reader experience any of those awkward words that were "forced" to fit in order to make a rhyme. Every word has a purpose and every word brings a smile! I love it! It is (without a doubt) one of the best books I've ever read.

“Cloud People and Other Scary Stories for Children” is available for sale online at Amazon.com (both hard copy and Kindle Fire) and on Apple’s iBooks.

About the Author:
Victoria Varley is a writer, sculptor and expert horse breeder whose prize winning artworks and newly created horse breed have been exhibited and sold on three continents. She is an accomplished equestrian and  has represented the United States twice in the sport of long distance riding, bringing home a team gold medal in 1997 after competing in a grueling 100 miles in one day horse race at the European National Championships in Germany. Her expertise and love of horses includes the reintroduction of a famous but extinct horse, the Soulon. (T’Ang Dynasty China 615-780). It is no wonder that she has spied several cloud formations that look just like horses. These are just some of the amazing creatures Varley’s imagination conjures up. Everyone sees something different. These are what she sees.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored review but opinions expressed are my own. A positive review was not required.