The cover of this book is beautiful and the great news is that the story within this cover is even more beautiful. It's a wonderful story with characters that I quickly loved and cheered for while I was reading. It's an emotional and heart warming story about teachers and how they strive to teach and encourage their students. As I read it, I thought about several teachers who did the same for me.

This novel is about the lives of two main characters - Maggie a 6th grade language arts teacher whose goal as a teacher is to help her students get excited about learning. She is asked by the principal at her school to tutor a student who is unable to attend school due to a heart problem. She agrees and starts visiting Yuri two days per week. At first he is very resistant to her but she begins to connect with him through his love of the NY Yankees and they have a wonderful relationship. The other story line is about Katya, Yuri's mother. The family has emigrated from Kiev where Katya was a ballet dancer but now her main focus is on her son's health.

The story is not just about a teacher's love of teaching but also about teachers realizing that they can also learn from their students if they just listen. It's a story about hope and love and family. It's a wonderful story with characters that will stay in my mind long after the last page.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book is like a warm blanket on a cold day. The characters come to life and become friends, you feel their hopes, their joys, and their fears.. In this novel, Alyson Richman has captured the joy of teaching as well as the heartaches that go along with it. Cozy up and read this book.

This is an exquisitely written, heart-felt story about a a promising and dedicated young teacher who is involved in the life of a young family. They had suffered an unspeakable tragedy in their homeland of Kiev and now, in the US, their child is being tutored at home. A bond is formed between the teacher and young boy., and then another tragedy occurs, which, in the end, gives the teacher courage to make changes in her own life. Have lots of kleenex!

The Secret of Clouds had moments filled with sadness and the compassion of Maggie Topper towards her at-home student Yuri was honorable. It was, to me, a predictable story.