Kirkus Reviews, 12/2011
Children's Book Review
Sora and the Cloud"Prolific Japanese-American illustrator Felicia Hoshino makes her authorial debut in this delightful picture book. Sora is an adventurous toddler who climbs a tree one day and befriends a cloud. He and the cloud take off on a whirlwind adventure over a variety of landscapes, including a cityscape, an amusement park, and a majestic vista. The bilingual text (Hoshino's English is accompanied by Hisa's Japanese translation) displays a simple exuberance that perfectly matches the light, joyful subject matter. The simplicity of the text is also sure to lend itself well to a bilingual reading by individuals who are novices in either the English or Japanese language. Hoshino's soft, Japanesque watercolors perfectly punctuate Sora's adventure and include plenty of references to Hoshino's native city of San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars, to name a couple). The back matter includes a bilingual glossary, a list of Japanese short expressions, and a note on Japanese cultural inspirations. With its local appeal, cultural relevance, and textual and aesthetic grace, this is a welcome addition for Bay Area collections."
- Bayviews, The Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California