Head in the Clouds

Sofia goes to school every day but she still has a lot of questions. Why are grown-ups always in a rush? What number comes after infinity? Sofia's teacher says she has her head in the clouds, she's seeing birds. In collages of graph paper, worksheets, and newsprint, punctuated by scratches of graphite and bold swaths of bright paint, Sofia's world springs to life. When she gives one of her birds to her teacher, her teacher's monochrome world of blank paper and grey lines bursts into colour, affirming the joy and necessity of always being curious. Inquisitive children, with a supply of questions as limitless as their imagination, will recognize themselves in Sofia, delighting in pondering her questions - and in coming up with more of their own. Originally a painter, Roc-o Araya turned to illustration where the field of possibilities, she feels, is infinite. With a style that is spontaneous and full of surprises, her boundless imagination is at work in these exhilarating pages. Look for a tiny, curled, brown cat and an expansive night sky, and spot a hula-girl dancing across a geography worksheet. This treasure hunt of a book is one for reading again and again.