Although Little Cloud and Lady Wind by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison, illustrated by Sean Qualls (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010), is not a highly instructional book about the water cycle, I certainly cannot ignore a Toni Morrison book when it does even partially relates to the water cycle.
In this fairy tale, Little Cloud does not want to cause storms and unhappiness on Earth. One evening, Lady Wind visits to show Little Cloud just what wonderful things Little Cloud can contribute because she is who she is. With Lady Wind’s guidance, Little Cloud arrives on the other side of a storm to see the beautiful dew, rainbow, and mist that Little Cloud brings to the Earth.
The illustrations (acrylic, collage, and pencil) capture a sweet young cloud and a sweet motherly figure, Lady Wind with blues, purples, and grays. With the subtle storyline that we can all contribute in our own way, the reader also learns that water from clouds helps contribute these other features to the Earthy, simply by being a part of Earth’s water cycle.
