{Review//Design Vlog} ONCE UPON A CLOUD by Disney Illustrator and Author Claire Keane

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O P E N I N G   L I N E:

©Claire Keane

CELESTE WANTED THE PERFECT GIFT FOR HER MOM.

(pgs. 4-5, US Hardcover Edition)

ONCE UPON A CLOUD by Claire Keane is my favorite picture book of 2015, and one of my favorite overall picture books. I'm sincerely hoping it gets a Caldecott nod next year! The book has the most gorgeous illustrations, which isn't a surprise when you discover that author/illustrator Claire Keane has done design work for Walt Disney Animation! She did concept development for smash hit Frozen as well as for Tangled (For example, all of Rapunzel's tower artwork? You can thank Claire Keane for that!). Being artist runs in her family, too. Her father is Glen Keane, who designed Ariel, Beast, Aladdin, and several other iconic Disney characters. Her grandfather, Bil Keane, ran the long-running comic strip The Family Circus. So you can see why I so desperately wanted to read this one! I wasn't alone, either: Barnes and Noble chose ONCE UPON A CLOUD as its March 2015 Picture Book of the Month with a national storytime and everything! Due to snow on the East Coast, it took an extra week for me to get my hands on a copy of this highly-anticipated book, but it was worth the wait!

Celeste wants to get the perfect present for her mother, and goes off on a fantastic, magical journey in order to find the best gift! From the stars to the moon, Celeste is introduced to many wonders, but it's the gift of love that a mother treasures the most!

ONCE UPON A CLOUD is not only perfect for reading outloud at bedtime or during school storytimes, but it also makes an amazing Mother's Day gift. Keane's illustrations are stunning, and I wished the book could have eternal pages to stare at. I hope someone at Disney is following Keane's new career path and decides to develop this into a movie!

What child wouldn't want to dance among the glittering stars...and realize that the constellations they take for granted are shimmering people?

©Claire Keane

 
And who wouldn't love to have a cup of tea with the Sun herself?

©Claire Keane

ONCE UPON A CLOUD is whimsical and wildly imaginative. The artwork is fantastic, the story is dreamy, and it's a picture book every little kid needs to be introduced to!

Here's my vlog that explores the book even further and shares some of its vibrancy and wonder with you:

YouTube Link

O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title: ONCE UPON A CLOUD

Author: Claire Keane
Illustrator: Claire Keane

Release Date: March 3, 2015

Publisher: Dial Books // Penguin Random House

Received: Borrowed

SUMMARY:

Fresh from her work on Frozen and Tangled, Claire Keane brings her legendary talent to her debut picture book about finding the right present for someone you love.

Celeste wants to give her mother something special—but what? Her search takes her up into the skies, where she meets the stars, the moon and the sun, but she still doesn’t find the heartfelt present she’s been looking for. At the end of her journey, Celeste sees it—the perfect gift! Chosen with care and wrapped with love, it’s just what Celeste was hoping to find.

In this story about finding unexpected inspiration and giving from the heart, Claire Keane invites readers on a magical journey through the clouds.  The result is a visually stunning book that really and truly is the perfect gift.