Nathalie Dion – illustratör

The uplifting journey of a bashful cloud ("kumo" in Japanese) who discovers the rewards of feeling seen.Kumo is a cloud whose only wish is to float unseen. When she’s assigned cloud duty for the day, she feels overwhelmed by self-doubt and her fear of being noticed. But after learning that closing your eyes isn’t a good solution to your troubles, Kumo pulls her fluff together and does her duties — drifting, releasing rain and providing shelter — meeting some new friends along the way and inspiring the imagination (and capturing the heart) of a small daydreamer like her.  Kyo Maclear’s sweetly humorous and lyrical parable about shyness, vividly brought to life by Nathalie Dion’s ethereal illustrations, is an affirmation of the pleasures of community and the confidence that can arise from friendship and visibility.

A child touchingly narrates the ups and downs of living with a parent who experiences mental illness.Sometimes Mom soars like a kite. Other times the kite turns into a sail, and she’s like a boat, bobbing along the waves, until water spills over the sides and she starts to sink. “I try to bail the water out,” the child says, “but my bucket is too small or has a hole in it.”On a better day, Mom introduces the child to a "new friend" named Grace, a therapist. Grace explains that it’s not the child’s job to fix things. And Grace helps the child find coping strategies — talking, playing games and, especially, drawing as a creative outlet.Gradually, the child begins to feel better when they’re at home with Mom, where there are plenty of crayons and the comfort of a beloved pet to cuddle.But the child has one big question. At the end of the story, they ask if they will sink or soar when they grow up. And while no one knows for sure, the child believes Grace who suggests that they now have the tools to weather whatever storms might come.Reviewed by a children's psychiatrist for authenticity. Includes an author's note and a list of resources and helplines for mental health.Key Text Featuresauthors notedialogueillustrationsresourcesvignettesCorrelates to the Common Core States Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

Sarah and Charlie hunt down the biggest puddle in the world with their grandfather in this fun introduction to the water cycle, perfect for young readers.When Sarah and her younger brother Charlie go to stay with their grandparents, it rains for days. At first, they have fun exploring inside the big, old house, but eventually they want to explore outside, too. “Where does the rain come from?” Sarah asks her grandfather, Big T. He promises to show her once it stops raining.When the storm passes, Sarah, Big T., Charlie and Keeper the dog go exploring. They jump in puddles, draw a puddle map and finally find the biggest puddle in the world!Mark Lee’s lively story is an introduction to the water cycle for young readers. Nathalie Dion’s soft illustrations show the fun, loving relationship between Big T., Sarah and Charlie.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

A dog delights in a summer day spent in the garden with his owner, an avid gardener.When a dog named Dutch hears the gardener going down the stairs each morning, he anticipates her every move. But most of all, he waits for the beautiful words, “Okay, Dutch. Let’s go outside.”It’s a bright summer day. Dutch stands back from the dark, dusty toolshed, but the rest of the day is blissful — rolling in the dewy grass, waiting for a scratch behind his ears, napping on the gardener’s boots at midday and playing in the hose.An amusing story about taking pleasure in the things we love, especially in the company of a good friend, written by Patricia Storms, with gorgeous illustrations by Nathalie Dion.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.