A Cloud in a Jar Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Are you game for a mind-blowing sailing adventure in the middle of the night? Hop on board and hold on tight as the little boat in A Cloud in a Jar goes out to sea. Learn more about Aaron Lewis Krol's debut picture book and enter to win a copy!

My Review:

Distinguished by its poetic verses and whimsical drawings, A Cloud in a Jar tells a wildly imaginative and enthralling tale about acts of kindness, creative problem-solving and positive thinking. An audacious and resourceful girl called Lou Dozens takes her cautious friend and his cute cat on a midnight sea trip to deliver a cloud in a jar to Firelight Bay, where it never rains despite all the summer fun children can enjoy all year long. Dangers and challenges abound during their expedition. What should they do if an emergency calls for the use of the cloud before it reaches the destination? Will the giant new friend they rescue along the way be able to return the favor or pay it forward?

With limited space for text, the author does an amazing job of recounting an exhilarating and eventful adventure that culminates in a delightful surprise. The writing is well complemented and enlivened by the expressive and action-packed illustrations. Varying shades of blue are combined to accent the dynamic beauty of a nighttime ocean landscape. The contrast between the worries and concerns shown in the boy's eyes and the excitement on the girl's face gives us a good sense of each character's personality. The most remarkable wordless character in the book has to be the cat! He is so vividly and humorously depicted that he can surely capture the heart of little cat lovers like my son.

Besides enjoying the book's fascinating plots and pictures, young readers may also have fun finding rhymed words from the stanzas that follow a unique rhythmic pattern. More importantly, they learn about being kind, lending a helping hand whenever possible, and about being calm, creative, and courageous in the face of challenges. They may be inspired by Lou to innovate and improvise, as well as to reuse and repurpose things that would otherwise be tossed into trash.

Both entertaining and educational, A Cloud in a Jar would make an attractive addition to any child's picture book collection.

About the Book:

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: Pages Street Kids | ISBN-13: 9781645679936

It’s just after midnight on Walton Wharf West, but there’s no time for sleeping―adventure awaits! Get dressed, grab your oars, let’s not delay. Lou Dozens is here, and we’re sailing to Firelight Bay!

In this modern, young, bold, and inventive adventure, Lou drags her more cautious friend on a daring voyage across the sea. Though their destination is a glorious land of year-round summers, long slides, and picnics a hundred yards wide, the children there have never seen rain, even once.

The mission is simple: bring Firelight Bay a cloud in a jar. But the journey is anything but. Readers will delight in the story’s twists, turns, and unexpected solutions―from a sail of patchwork handkerchiefs to a net crafted from recycled cell phone chargers that saves a beached whale. It’ll take every knick-knack in Lou’s pockets and all the cleverness the pair can muster to safely deliver their gift.

With captivating illustrations and whimsical yet delightfully intricate rhyming text reminiscent of classic children’s poetry, this seafaring quest is one young readers will not soon forget.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Aaron Lewis Krol lives with his family in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he writes about climate change science and solutions for the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. Like many, his early education included many “invention challenges” where students were tasked with building structures from everyday materials, and he’s pretty sure that’s where the idea for Lou Dozens came from. A Cloud in a Jar is his first picture book.

About the Illustrator:

Carlos Vélez Aguilera lived in the oceanside town of Puerto Vallarta for a time and drew from his memory of those beautiful landscapes and the sense of adventure they gave him while illustrating this book. He also poured in his general love of clouds, the sea, and whales. In addition to drawing, Carlos also likes to dance. He lives in Mexico City, Mexico, with his cat, Benito.

Two lucky winners will each receive a hardcover copy of A Cloud in a Jar!

Giveaway ends 11/2. Open to USA only. Please enter below. Good luck!

A Cloud in a Jar Book Giveaway

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Page Street Kids. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.