- Picture Books
- Ages 4–8
- Contemporary
Lost in the Clouds
Billy believes his mum lives up in the clouds, and reads her moods in the weather, until a stormy day when he tries to climb up to reach her. A tender, carefully written picture book about the death of a parent, created with a grief professional.
- Best for4–8
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Lyrical
Tone
- Gentle
- Bittersweet
- Warm
- Melancholic
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Ever since his mummy died, Billy knows exactly where to find her: she lives up in the clouds. Every morning he checks on Mummy's cloud, reading the sky the way he reads his own feelings and his daddy's. On the best days the sun shines and Mummy's clouds are nowhere to be seen, and Billy knows she is letting the sun out just for them, so they can play in the garden all day long. But some days her clouds turn dark and heavy, and Billy feels sad and small and terribly far away. Then comes one stormy morning when the distance feels unbearable and Billy decides he simply has to climb up and reach her, until Daddy gently catches him, and together they begin to talk about how to hold on to someone you have lost. Written in collaboration with an experienced grief professional and illustrated with soft, tender warmth by Tom Tinn-Disbury, this is a moving, sensitively handled story that helps young children name their feelings after the death of a loved one, and know they are not alone.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A sensitively written picture book about the death of a parent, best shared aloud with 4-8s and revisited by independent readers to around 8. Its subject makes it a supportive read for bereaved children; parents will want to read it alongside their child.
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- Best fit · 4–8
- Read aloud · 4–8
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Tougher fit
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: death of parent, grief.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Grief support
- Bereavement
- Emotional learning
- Gentle stories
Avoid if
- Wants light story
- Sensitive to parental death
Particularly good for children who are…
- Bereavement
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Billy believing his mum lives in the clouds, and reading her feelings in the weather, is an idea children understand straight away. When he tries to climb up to reach her on the stormy day, and his daddy holds him, it feels honest, safe and full of love.
Why parents love it
Written with a grief specialist, it gives families tender, honest language for one of the hardest losses without overwhelming a young child. Tinn-Disbury's soft illustrations carry the emotion beautifully, and the father-and-son closeness offers real comfort and a way to start talking.
- Conversation starter
- Beautiful illustrations
About the author & illustrator
Tom Tinn-Disbury.
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