The Other Side of the Clouds

By Matt Samuel & Tamlyn Teow

Reviewed by Margarite Igras

This is Matt’s debut Children’s picture book. After two decades in advertising and a former career as a primary school teacher, he decided to try his hand at writing a picture book, drawing on his own sad experiences to create a story about grief, loss and finally hope. Together with Tamlyn Teow’s soft pastel colours and the suggestion of music in the text, Matt has created a visual journey through challenging emotions and the notion that there is always hope on the other side of the stormy clouds.

A little boy Finn is consumed with sadness. His parents are at a loss and plead with him to a least smile. But in his bedroom, with the door closed, he tries to navigate an overwhelming storm that is slowly raging with him. He tries to lock out the unrelenting pulse of the rain inside his head, and the clamour around him that gets louder as he reaches despair.  His thoughts take him up into the sky, through the dark clouds, and over big crashing waves, and thunder, until he reaches a climax of rage and thrashes out at his bed and pillow. Finally, exhausted, he takes control and blows away all the rain inside him, setting his sadness free.

In this 32-p book, the minimal text is the voice of Finn. With each page, he moves through the stages of grief, from isolation, torment and rage to finally, some kind of acceptance and peace.  His body language in the book is heartbreaking. The illustrations with a palette of pastel pinks and purples seem to soften the impact of the heightened emotions.

This is s a complex story, aimed at 5+, that is quite confronting and should be read with an adult to help interpret and discuss the emotions contained within.

Riveted Press 2024

Matt Samuel

Tamlyn Teow