22 Jun 2011

Floating on cloud nine

by | posted in: 2011, Elise Mansot, Veronique Massenot | 5

Today I’m floating on cloud nine as I’ve a guest post over at one of the very best blogs I know – The Crafty Crow. I’m reviewing an incredibly beautiful French picture book (in English translation): Journey on a Cloud by Veronique Massenot and Elise Mansot. Do head on over to read what I have to say about this very special book and what it inspired me and my girls to get up to. Then come back here for some more fun activities you could get up to alongside Journey on a Cloud.

Here’s some fun music to go with Journey on a Cloud:

  • Clouds by Dog on Fleas
  • Cloudbusting by Neil Halstead (or the Kate Bush version if you prefer)
  • Cloud Shape Animals by Harley String Band
  • In the Clouds by Laurie Berkner
  • Painting By Chagall by The Weepies


    • J reading Journey on a Cloud

    Apart from what we got up to (which you can read about with our review over at The Crafty Crow), here are some other projects that would be great to do alongside reading Journey on a Cloud:

  • Make your own cloud – some great science projects here including this one on You Tube and this one from Steve Spangler.
  • Create some Chagall inspired art with inspiration from Art Lessons for Kids.
  • Pablo Picasso remarked during the 1950s, “Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is”, so this book is a great opportunity to lay with different shades of colour – I love this simple, beautiful stacking game made from paint charts, created by kedublock, found via The Crafty Crow!
  • Make a cloud rug to snuggle up on – Lifeflix shows you how.



    • Thanks go to Prestel, the publishers of this beautiful book, for supplying me with a review copy. It’s a stunning book, wonderful to read, really lovely to look at and brimming with creative possibilities!

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    5 Responses

    1. Even in Australia
      | Reply

      Funny, it reminds me of The Yellow Balloon, which you recently reviewed, which reminded me of Umbrella by the Schuberts and reminded others of Anno’s Journey. Seems this is a popular theme. How would you say they are each different? Style of illustrations? This one has text and Yellow Balloon and Umbrella are wordless, right?
      Even in Australia recently posted..Library vs Museum Redux

    2. Ali B
      | Reply

      That book looks beautiful. When I was teaching, I did some dream-inspired surrealist collages with my class using found images in magazines- they were wonderful.
      Ali B recently posted..Refugee Week reads

    3. sophie
      | Reply

      It looks gorgious. I put it in my coming book basket. We are Chagall fans at home….
      It’s funny because I have never seen anything from this duo in the book shops I go. The editor does not seem very well distributed and it’s a pity….
      The hokusai wave based story looks very nice to (http://correspondances.hautetfort.com/archive/2010/03/16/la-grande-vague.html).

      Thanks a lot Zoe !

    4. Zoe
      | Reply

      Hi Ali, your project at school sounds fab. did you team it up with a book?

      Hi Sophie, how curious that you haven’t seen this in France. The Hokusai book is equally beautiful, although I don’t think the accompanying story is quite a good as in Journey on a cloud.

    5. Cassi
      | Reply

      Thank you for sharing such a beautiful book that I know will be loved by many!
      Cassi recently posted..A Book & A Craft: "The Saggy Baggy Elephant" and an Accordion Book with Five Artsy Elephants

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