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Partly Cloudy
What do you see when you look at clouds?
Two curious bunnies enjoy watching clouds go by. But when they look at the sky, they each see something completely different! While one bunny likes to use his imagination and sees cotton candy or whipped cream, the other bunny can only see the science behind them. Together they learn that cloud watching is much more fun when they can see it through each other's eyes.
With extensive back matter about the many kinds of clouds and the water cycle, celebrated author and illustrator Deborah Freedman once again combines the educational with the whimsical, while introducing young readers to two irresistible characters who see the power of possibility.
Two curious bunnies enjoy watching clouds go by. But when they look at the sky, they each see something completely different! While one bunny likes to use his imagination and sees cotton candy or whipped cream, the other bunny can only see the science behind them. Together they learn that cloud watching is much more fun when they can see it through each other's eyes.
With extensive back matter about the many kinds of clouds and the water cycle, celebrated author and illustrator Deborah Freedman once again combines the educational with the whimsical, while introducing young readers to two irresistible characters who see the power of possibility.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2024
90 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Freedman
14 books209 followersOnce upon a time, I was an architect. But now I'd much rather build worlds in books. :)
I am the author and illustrator of 12 of them, featuring protagonists that include an earthworm searching for its purpose in life, a house that dreams of its origins, and a character that is almost too shy to appear in its own book.
My stories have been translated into ten different languages, adopted in classrooms across the country, and honored with many starred reviews and awards. I live in a colorful house in Connecticut, where I'm always busy at work on my next books.
I love reading books and telling you about them; I hate rating them! Let's just say that if I didn't like a book, it isn't here at all.
Website: www.deborahfreedman.net
—with tons of free resources for readers, and a sign-up for my eNewsletter
Bluesky: @DeborahFreedman.net
Facebook: Deborah Freedman, Author & Illustrator
Instagram, Threads: @FreedmanIllustrates
—stop by and say hi!
I am the author and illustrator of 12 of them, featuring protagonists that include an earthworm searching for its purpose in life, a house that dreams of its origins, and a character that is almost too shy to appear in its own book.
My stories have been translated into ten different languages, adopted in classrooms across the country, and honored with many starred reviews and awards. I live in a colorful house in Connecticut, where I'm always busy at work on my next books.
I love reading books and telling you about them; I hate rating them! Let's just say that if I didn't like a book, it isn't here at all.
Website: www.deborahfreedman.net
—with tons of free resources for readers, and a sign-up for my eNewsletter
Bluesky: @DeborahFreedman.net
Facebook: Deborah Freedman, Author & Illustrator
Instagram, Threads: @FreedmanIllustrates
—stop by and say hi!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 28, 2024
Every book by Deborah Freedman is a work of art with pages upon pages of beauty I want to frame. PARTLY CLOUDY combines her gorgeous art with science about clouds in a way that make learning a delight for all ages.
April 1, 2024
This is a stand-out, whimsical picture book that is simultaneously imaginative and whimsical. The illustrations are gentle and show the differences between types of clouds. The text is easy to read aloud with asides to share more information -- mostly about the types of clouds. An impressive amount of back matter explains clouds and the water cycle. This is an excellent early elementary read aloud.
March 22, 2025
This picture book is full of gorgeous and cute illustrations that perfectly portray the different types of clouds that there are. The story itself is incredibly informative. Giving the scientific names and facts about the different types of clouds as well as the types of weather they bring, while also breaking down the etymology of the cloud names. Definitely a solid book for lessons on weather and clouds for children. I learned a lot more from this book than I can recall from my own science classes as a kid!
April 11, 2025
Informational picture book | Whimsical | Clever - Emma
March 31, 2024
Utterly delightful images and highly informative
August 7, 2024
What a fun way to teach children (and adults) about clouds! I learned a lot from this book.
March 9, 2024
I love this author/illustrator and I love this picture book!
March 30, 2024
A playful romp through the clouds, skillfully balancing good scientific information with fun banter from our cute bunny characters. Gorgeous watercolor illustrations of clouds.
September 26, 2024
Love this book so much! Great lesson in clouds balanced with well developed characters and charming illustrations. I learned so much, and so will you.
August 16, 2024
This is the cutest informative book about clouds ever not only because of the artwork, but with two cute curious bunny characters who look at clouds differently. The author combines the educational with the whimsical while introducing her two characters who see the power of possibility.
Another educational children's book about clouds with great illustrations is Tomie dePaola's "The Cloud Book"
Another educational children's book about clouds with great illustrations is Tomie dePaola's "The Cloud Book"
February 25, 2025
This would have been a book I would have read to my boys about a billion times. Facts and adorable. They would have been all over this book. I think it would be constantly checked out and loved.
March 15, 2024
Freedman is just really good at writing a fun picture book that is infused with facts and information. There is so much about clouds in this book! And the backmatter is overflowing.
Read
May 2, 2024See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/partly...
PARTLY CLOUDY is an intriguing picture book that teaches children about types of clouds. The story takes place as a conversation between two bunnies who are looking up at the sky and describing what they see - one imagines pictures while the other labels the clouds. Small information bubbles at the bottom of each page give additional information.
What I loved: This was an overall cute book that starts to introduce cloud types to young readers. Examples of each cloud type are shown in the sky above the bunnies, as they are labeled in conversation. The story is quick and easy to follow with a bit of intensity as they encounter a storm cloud. The illustrations are simple but cute with the text written in speaking bubbles.
What left me wanting more: As a small thing, it would have helped to have more written guidance on what defined the cloud types, particularly the unusual ones. While there is an illustrated example of each, a basic verbal description would help too. As is, children can probably still get the basics through observation and what comparisons are given. As an additional note, the story leans to nonfiction without much additional plot, so this works best for children who don't need a story as they learn.
Final verdict: PARTLY CLOUDY is a cute picture book that begins to introduce cloud types. This will work best for young elementary school aged readers.
PARTLY CLOUDY is an intriguing picture book that teaches children about types of clouds. The story takes place as a conversation between two bunnies who are looking up at the sky and describing what they see - one imagines pictures while the other labels the clouds. Small information bubbles at the bottom of each page give additional information.
What I loved: This was an overall cute book that starts to introduce cloud types to young readers. Examples of each cloud type are shown in the sky above the bunnies, as they are labeled in conversation. The story is quick and easy to follow with a bit of intensity as they encounter a storm cloud. The illustrations are simple but cute with the text written in speaking bubbles.
What left me wanting more: As a small thing, it would have helped to have more written guidance on what defined the cloud types, particularly the unusual ones. While there is an illustrated example of each, a basic verbal description would help too. As is, children can probably still get the basics through observation and what comparisons are given. As an additional note, the story leans to nonfiction without much additional plot, so this works best for children who don't need a story as they learn.
Final verdict: PARTLY CLOUDY is a cute picture book that begins to introduce cloud types. This will work best for young elementary school aged readers.
April 28, 2024
Two adorable little rabbits bring two different approaches to cloud gazing. One sees whimsical shapes and the other is scientific and informative. I learned SO much about cloud forms, what they might bring and the language used to describe them.
The text is accessible and clear for young readers and the whimsical illustrations assist in understanding of the concepts presented as well as being entertaining. As an adult I learned SO much about clouds and I think kids will be fascinated. This is a perfect STEM book, an addition to a weather unit and a fun lap book all in one. Back matter includes information on the water cycle, how clouds form and illustrated list of the ten main types of clouds as well as other resources.
This charming science-centered story will have kids definitely looking a clouds "from both sides now."
The text is accessible and clear for young readers and the whimsical illustrations assist in understanding of the concepts presented as well as being entertaining. As an adult I learned SO much about clouds and I think kids will be fascinated. This is a perfect STEM book, an addition to a weather unit and a fun lap book all in one. Back matter includes information on the water cycle, how clouds form and illustrated list of the ten main types of clouds as well as other resources.
This charming science-centered story will have kids definitely looking a clouds "from both sides now."
August 4, 2025
I know that this is a non-fiction book, but it felt very cold. Two cute bunnies cloud watch. One is excited about all of the cool-looking clouds and the other bunny is 100% just spouting the facts, nothing more. The dialogue felt very wooden. This book could be used in a Science class when studying about clouds, but I can't see a K-3rd grade picking this book up to read for fun. If they did, they would most likely struggle with the "big" cloud names scattered throughout. All of the information is spot-on, so I don't think this one is lacking in the information department. I think it mainly has struggles with the delivery of all of the information. The illustrations are adorable and really do carry this book. If it were not for the adorable illustrations, I would have put this book down and not finished it. All illustrations appear to be done in watercolors. (Diamond 25-26)
November 11, 2024
A fun book to use to teach students or young children about the different cloud types. The two bunnies in the story are cloud-watching. One bunny describes the different shapes she sees in the clouds while the other has all the answers surrounding the type of cloud. The book includes fact bubbles about each type of cloud discussed within the story and a section in the back about how clouds form, the 10 main types of clouds, the earth's water cycle, and kid resources. This would be a great read-aloud book to introduce students to cloud types and to encourage students to cloud-watch to see what types of clouds they observe.
June 10, 2024
A very cute book of facts. Two very cute bunnies cloud watch. One bunny tries to use imagination on the clouds and the other bunny is all facts. The smart bunny tells us what sorts of clouds they are with a definition. This is a non-fiction book
The bunnies are cute, but the dialogue is still wooden and sort of like a boring lecture. Each page is just about different kinds of clouds.
Still, it's a great way to learn about clouds. It's better than just reading about it in a dictionary or textbook. I did learn something about clouds. I have seen many of these and some I haven't.
The bunnies are cute, but the dialogue is still wooden and sort of like a boring lecture. Each page is just about different kinds of clouds.
Still, it's a great way to learn about clouds. It's better than just reading about it in a dictionary or textbook. I did learn something about clouds. I have seen many of these and some I haven't.
November 4, 2024
**This book is being considered as a nominee for next year’s Beehive Book Award for Children in Utah. My review reflects my thoughts as it pertains to that consideration.**
My daughter loves cute bunnies, so she'll probably like this book. Also, I like that there's the bunny that sees shapes in the clouds and then there's a bunny that tells him the scientific name for the clouds. It was a nice balance of fun and educational, which is a really tough thing to do.
It might work for my family storytime, we'll see how I feel about it.
My daughter loves cute bunnies, so she'll probably like this book. Also, I like that there's the bunny that sees shapes in the clouds and then there's a bunny that tells him the scientific name for the clouds. It was a nice balance of fun and educational, which is a really tough thing to do.
It might work for my family storytime, we'll see how I feel about it.
August 6, 2025
This title does accomplish its purpose of two rabbit friends who began to see each other’s point of view.
The illustrations being so pale in only white and light blue didn’t have differentiation for the cloud formation to be observed. Also it was distracting to read the story of the rabbit imagining what the cloud appeared to look like and then have little info boxes with nonfiction info. Perhaps it would best be shelved in a juvenile nonfiction section instead of picture books. Five pages of additional material on the ten main types clouds. Illustrations done in watercolors.
The illustrations being so pale in only white and light blue didn’t have differentiation for the cloud formation to be observed. Also it was distracting to read the story of the rabbit imagining what the cloud appeared to look like and then have little info boxes with nonfiction info. Perhaps it would best be shelved in a juvenile nonfiction section instead of picture books. Five pages of additional material on the ten main types clouds. Illustrations done in watercolors.
August 5, 2024
Two curious bunnies describe the clouds together. One is describing in an artistic way what is seen in the cloud as the other explains in a scientific way what the cloud is called. There is a small fact box at the bottom of each page to further explain that type of cloud as well as ample backmatter to help students learn the types of clouds we see and what weather they may bring.
If your school students learn about clouds, this is a first purchase for all libraries serving children!
If your school students learn about clouds, this is a first purchase for all libraries serving children!
November 16, 2024
If you had to (or wanted) to learn the technical names and characteristics of clouds, this picture book would be less painful than reading a straight textbook. But it didn't do much for me. Lots of back matter notes how clouds form, types of cloud, the water cycle, etc. This is the kind of book that I like to consider non-fiction because of all the content information; but my library friends would say that because of the fictitious story with bunnies, it's not non-fiction. (Whatever!)
December 11, 2024
I used to lie in the grass as a child and watch the clouds go by. I am a daydreamer (still today I can get lost in my thoughts), so I loved the idea of a book about clouds.
There are two bunny friends that are admiring the clouds. But while one finds shapes, the other knows the names and nature of each cloud. It's a nice way to learn about the various clouds with wonderful illustrations.
The book's illustrations are the pefect sky blue with lovely fluffy clouds.
There are two bunny friends that are admiring the clouds. But while one finds shapes, the other knows the names and nature of each cloud. It's a nice way to learn about the various clouds with wonderful illustrations.
The book's illustrations are the pefect sky blue with lovely fluffy clouds.
March 19, 2025
Beautiful illustrations - clouds of all kinds made with watercolor in a very realistic fashion. The two bunnies narrating were cute. The book gets very granular, mentioning what seems like every cloud type and combination, with extensive back matter to provide even more information. It almost seems like a reference text couched in a picture book. That makes it not great for storytime, but fascinating for an older child.
May 21, 2025
Two bunnies talk about the different clouds they see in the sky. One sees whimsical shapes while the other identifies the clouds by their scientific names. Soft watercolor drawings fill the pages. Back matter includes more cloud facts, an explanation of the water cycle, and selected resources so kids can learn more about clouds. This book will encourage kids to look up to the sky to see the different cloud shapes.
March 16, 2024
3 stars (I liked it)
This book was a cute way to teach about clouds but I also found it to be a bit overwhelming. I do think the illustrations can definitely help readers understand the differences between the clouds and the bunnies are cute narrators. We have a unit for first grade about clouds that this could be a great text to go along with.
This book was a cute way to teach about clouds but I also found it to be a bit overwhelming. I do think the illustrations can definitely help readers understand the differences between the clouds and the bunnies are cute narrators. We have a unit for first grade about clouds that this could be a great text to go along with.
May 31, 2024
The bunnies are stout and adorable! The watercolor paintings are fantastic. I think this is one of the best books about clouds for children that I have ever read. For one thing, Freedman includes many more types of clouds than most other books for children do. And all the extra information in the back matter really enhances the book. Also includes a bibliography.
January 13, 2025
A cute premise with two bunnies looking at the cloud. one sees creative things, and the other, who is wearing glasses, is giving the technical names for clouds. Lots of factual information, good for a lesson on various types of clouds. However, not a story and might be boring and tedious for younger students. would only have this in my library if I knew students were doing a cloud unit.
February 1, 2025
Cute combination of story and information (about clouds). Curious bunnies are cute, learning about clouds fun, great back matter.
Great book for teaching about clouds to young kids. But, felt like the combination meant that neither (the story or information) was done well without a clear focus. The illustrations were nice.
Great book for teaching about clouds to young kids. But, felt like the combination meant that neither (the story or information) was done well without a clear focus. The illustrations were nice.
March 27, 2025
This picture book finds a clever way to teach clouds (their formations, types of clouds, etc) through lighter fare: banter between bunnies. Could be enjoyed by littles for the bunnies and by older kids for the STEM cloud talk, naming all the types of clouds you never knew and were afraid to ask.
Themes: clouds, bunnies, STEM (cloud talk)
Ages: 1-5th grade
Pub year: 2024
Themes: clouds, bunnies, STEM (cloud talk)
Ages: 1-5th grade
Pub year: 2024
October 8, 2023
I loved the illustrations in this one, but the text was a bit lackluster for me, and I don't love the font. Still, I think kids who are curious or obsessed with clouds will find this informative. Very whimsical for sure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews