PLOOF

A lonely little cloud named Ploof needs your help.

This interactive picture book directly addresses children, encouraging participation with Ploof. When Ploof is feeling shy, readers are told to clap for encouragement. Similarly, when the cloud “runs…out of steam,” readers are asked to “blow softly on Ploof” to “puff Ploof back up.” The illustrations are simple and clear. For the most part, the recto of each spread includes text set against a white background, while the verso depicts the cloud against a soft, sky-blue background—an effect that focuses readers’ attention on Ploof. This little white cotton ball of a cloud has an expressive face and large, oval-shaped eyes, used to great effect to convey Ploof’s shyness, weariness, and worry. The seek-and-find pages might be the most fun; readers must spot Ploof, who’s hiding among a field of sheep and in a sky full of kites. Interactive books like this are popular for a reason, and this one fits the mold rather than breaking it. Adults and caregivers looking for a sweet, reader-facing read-aloud will be satisfied with this one; those seeking something nonformulaic need to look elsewhere. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Fluffy and fun, as expected.