Cloud Boy

Any young person who struggles to keep their feet on the ground will identify with Bobby, the star of Greg Stobbs’ picturebook Cloud Boy. Bobby tries his best to pay attention but there are always so many things to distract him, a snail, an interesting smell, birdsong … As his attention wanders, we see him start to float away, a thread of fluorescent pink tracing out his path into the sky. His friends want to help and find a way of keeping him tethered to the ground, but without his soaring imagination, Bobby realises he’s just not himself. A new way of living is worked out, with Bobby’s family letting their imaginations run free sometimes too. This is a clever and positive depiction of neurodivergence, story and images (that wonderful pink thread) making it clear and accessible to even the youngest readers, while everyone can learn lessons from Bobby’s family’s response. A welcome exploration of the importance of making room for those whose minds work differently.