Cloud Boy
For ages 3+
A heart-warming, validating, modern story for children (and adults) who display the traits of, or are diagnosed/self-diagnosed with ADHD.
To tell you the delightful ‘Cloud Boy’ by Greg Stobbs (Oxford University Press) gave me the complete goosebumps is an understatement. What’s more I just had to email the PR team within a nanosecond of finishing the last page to say OMG how AMAZING the book is. OK so I’m very excited about this new picture book… obvs!
Greg has illustrated a couple of incredible picture books to date - Lemn Sissay’s ‘Don’t Ask the Dragon’ (Canongate Books, 2022) and Robert Tregoning’s ‘What the Crow Saw Below’ (Oxford University Press, 2024), so you may already be familiar with his work. Checking out his biography I see that he’s also an accomplished graffiti artist. If you follow him on Instagram (@gregstobbs_illustration) you’ll have been recently blown away by the artwork on walls and ceilings recently done for the Isle of Wight NHS hospital children’s services. I used to work at this hospital too, so it was lovely to see! Greg is based in Kent - not too far from my Happy Reading Children’s Bookshop and I’m just absolutely so thrilled that he’s coming to celebrate ‘Cloud Boy’ during our February half term at an already sold out event at the bookshop.
Authenticated by Greg’s own experiences of living with ADHD, a neurodivergent condition, a young boy called Bobby goes about his days at home, or at school. As he does, his mum or teachers find it hard to communicate with him, understand him, or sometimes to contain their own frustrations with how to relate to him. My daughter has ADHD, and I can empathise with this completely, especially as ADHD in young children is not always diagnosed until the middle-end of Primary School.
What neurotypical or even non-ADHD neurodivergent adults might perceive as bad behaviour, being ‘away with the fairies’ in the classroom, ignoring instruction and so on is actually a brain at work, perhaps in overdrive, perhaps in overwhelm, joining the dots up of their daily lives differently. The incredibly endearing aspect of ‘Cloud Boy’ is the role that Bobby’s friends, mum and school teacher Mr Brian eventually come to terms with Bobby’s different way of processing and instead of trying to change him they explore and understand him, eventually opening their minds to a new world of imagination and joy. Bobby is seen and understood at last.
Stunning, popping artwork, validating for children and adults alike who are diagnosed or self-diagnosed ADHD. ADHD isn’t named as Bobby’s condition within the story, the book isn’t a means to diagnose the condition either. ‘Cloud Boy’ can be a picture book that talks to all children about fitting in and feeling ok, prompting discussions with loved ones or teachers to share emotions and experiences, and to promote empathy and well-being. Greg Stobbs is going to go far in Children’s publishing… I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do next!
Check out the interview with Greg Stobbs at the CLPE website - he give some suggestions to Primary teachers on how to use this book:
About the author:illustrator
Greg Stobbs is an illustrator, street artist and associate lecturer from the South East of the UK. He's worked internationally on a range of projects, from installations to interactive art pieces. In 2020, Greg created the illustrated digital backdrops for the BBC's CBeebies Christmas Pantomime. His debut picture book, Don't Ask the Dragon by poet Lemn Sissay, was published in 2022. Greg likes to develop work that crosses the boundaries between fine art, street art, and children's book illustration.
Published: 6th February 2025
Format: Paperback
