I read this to my 5 year old, after I read it myself initially. The writing style felt very reminiscent of The Little Engine That Could and the storyline feels similar, in a really good way. My 5 year old really liked it. He said his favorite part is when it finally rained. The illustrations were wonderful. The colors were vibrant where they should be; the scenes were full of stories. The people in the background were interesting to look at as we read the book. To see these people, Cotton's people, and their emotions around the weather. Teaching the different types of clouds in an easy to understand way for the PreK to younger elementary school age children was a wonderful idea. They get a quick and easy to understand introduction to the fact that clouds don't just look different at times, but they actually are different and have different functionality.

Cotton is learning what it means to be a cloud, however, she is too focused on making everyone happy. She isn't open minded and believes anything other than a sunny day is a bad thing. Cotton, like many people new to something, believes she knows it all and is to set in her way/stubborn to notice what is actually happening around her. Once Cotton opens her eyes and is able to see what the lack of rain does to her people, Cotton is filled with remorse. She shows compassion. She sees the burden she's put on the Sun & Wind this whole time, by being selfish and not raining. She then thinks she's failed by showing compassion just to find she's actually continued to make the people happy even when she rains.

The characters remind me so much of the characters in The Little Engine that could and I think a lot of that has to do with the illustrations. While not the exact same, Nimbo's image on one of the pages really reminds me of the weary old engine who couldn't pull the train up the mountain, though the characters' personalities are not the same.

Overall I think this is a good story. It teaches an easy to understand lesson, is an appropriate length for the age level, has engaging illustrations, and is well written. I think libraries and classrooms would really benefit from this book.

This is a super cute book with beautifully colourful pictures that will definitely catch little readers eye!

Cotton is a very stubborn rain cloud who refuses to rain and ruin everyone's day but with the help of their friends they learn the importance of showing emotions and using their strengths to help others.

Overall a really cute picture book.

And we’re back with another children’s book that will most certainly require a parent to help their kiddo read! Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain by Elizabeth F. Hill was exceedingly cute, had a great story with a nice message, and best of all was quite educational. This is the sort of kid’s book I’d highly recommend to curious readers, the sort who are eager to learn all they can about the world around them. All of that said, this is definitely not the kind of book you can just put in front of an emerging reader—the vocabulary is, quite simply, too high.

There are a ton of words in here that a new reader won’t be able to decode—many of them related to the types of clouds that exist, but there are others as well—and, even more so, these vocabulary words aren’t always fully explained. I do think there’s a lot of potential for education here with your kiddos, but you have to be around to explain what the different types of clouds are for them to understand because otherwise it simply feels like a character name.

I loved the illustrations and the overall theming of the story. The characters were lovely and fun. In the end, the best part is how the story illustrates the impact and importance of rain.

Thank you tomNet Galley for this e-copy of Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain by Elizabeth Hill.Cotton the Cumulus Cloud loves to make people happy.When he is in the sky people are able to enjoy outside activities but he soon learns that without rain people can’t survive.Will he do the right thing and bring rain to the earth? Read the book and find out.Great informative book for early readers about the different types of clouds .

What a sweet book! Cotton just wants to make everyone happy! This is a good book to show what can happen when there is too much of a good thing. The book is pretty and tells a great story. From a science teachers point of view it's a great introduction to rhe water cycle.

This is such a cute story. I love the illustration and art style. It’s a good lesson about why it’s important to do things even if it might not be as fun.

Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain is a cute story about a little happy cloud who, despite the pressure to rain, stubbornly refuses to do so. In the book, kids will learn about different types of clouds through charming characters like Cirrus and Cumulus. Cotton Cloud also learns the importance of rain and its role in nature. The story subtly introduces these concepts in a fun way, making it perfect for young learners who prefer stories over traditional educational methods.

What I particularly liked about the book is its supporting characters, who each try to explain to Cotton Cloud why rain is so important. My 3-year-old son loved the colorful illustrations and found Cotton Cloud to be a funny and relatable character (probably due to his stubbornness lol). He enjoyed the playful dialogue and often asked questions about clouds while we read together.

Overall, this book is great for read-alouds, classrooms, and libraries as an introduction to clouds through a cute story. As a nonfiction fan, I think an extra educational section in the back with all the cloud types would have been a great bonus!

Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain is one of my favourite picture books I've read for the year! Elizabeth F. Hill explains the important role of each entity; from clouds, to wind, to the sun, to water. This story is a wonderful way to explain to children the science behind the water cycle and the importance of rain; and how the lack of rain impacts nature and humans. I especially love how the text deals with and shows the different personalities of the characters and how their behaviours impact mother nature; and how Cotton Cloud comes to a wonderful resolution.

Hannah George's illustrations are a perfect match to the text, so rich in colors and the layouts are beautiful! There are so many things to notice and observe, so many expressions and I love how we see the visual impact of Cotton Cloud withholding the rain; on the humans, the ground, the waterfall and the crops.

This is a great book and I learned so much from it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain" follows Cotton Clouds journey to make and keep its people happy. Along the way we learn about different kinds of clouds and that rain isn't something sad but something important to keep things healthy. It was a fun and informative read that we really enjoyed.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really cute book. Both the pictures and the story were adorable!