Reviewed by Dianne Bates
Contained in the pages of
this wise picture book is a wonderful idea which is sure to appeal to many
children (even adults)! Bill is a boy who’s having a bad day. Absolutely
nothing goes right for him at home or at school. When he awakes it’s ‘cloudy,
with a chance of rain’. Hovering over him, like a storm cloud is a black shape
– like a cloud, one which follows him all morning. By recess at school, the
cloud has grown into an enormous size and has tiny feet that continue to follow
the poor boy.
Bill’s unable to articulate
the thing that’s following him.
Relentless, the thing –
given the name Mr Huff – follows Bill to bed and – hatefully – is there the
next day. Bill wants to be rid of it, and it is only when he accepts Mr Huff,
taking it by its puny hand, is he able to do so. Next day, happily, ‘the day
was cloudy, with a chance of sunshine.’
For any child who is
finding life difficult – indeed for anyone suffering the blues or even a black
depression – this book was especially written and illustrated for them. As with
most people in Bill’s situation, the sufferer does attempt to be rid of the
heaviness. But as you read on, the gentle message of this book is revealed:
only when you confront your feelings are you able to go forward as Bill does.
In keeping with the heavy
mood Bill feels for most of the story, Walker has kept her watercolour palette
dark and simple. There are splashes of colour and even some humour (the
enormous Mr Huff sleeping under Bill’s bed, determined to stay in his life) so
there is always hope.
This is a splendid,
poignant book which can be read simply as text, or it can be used by parents
and/or therapists to help a small child overcome his or her unhappiness. My
only criticism of the book is that the typeface is far too small, especially
for young readers.