Cloud Busting: Puffin Poetry

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It is a lovely story of friendship, betrayal, and regret, but also of understanding and facing consequences.

Through verse, it tells the poignant story of a friendship between two boys which changes them both forever. I liked that the book was written like a poem - it is different from the other books that I usually read. Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman is a story written in verse, various styles of poetry are used to tell the story of Sam and Davey's friendship. We at Penguin Random House Australia acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Custodians and the first storytellers of the lands on which we live and work. It reminded me a lot of when I worked with students with autism and how they were a breath of fresh air to me and got me to look at the world more closely !The story mainly focuses on the two central characters of Sam and Davey, other characters do feature and help add background and context to the story but the majority of the dialogue is focused on Sam’s thoughts and feelings and his relationship with Davey. Children will explore and discuss how different styles of poetry have been used to show the reader how Davey was bullied. Malorie Blackman is a popular British author who has written a multitude of award-winning books for children of all ages, including the popular ‘Noughts and Crosses’ series.

This will be useful to children who are developing their poetry techniques in English, by having relatable characters and different use of poetry. They're not perfect but they're still likable characters who are easy to relate to on some level—even if you don't identify with them 100%. Although the subject matter is a bit gloomy, ultimately it is a story with a positive message and you will feel optimistic when you finish the book. I wonder how it feels to be so full of light, so full of joy, and yet so small when compared to the sky. The chapters following introduce the new boy, Dave Youngson, as the weird misfit and target of the school bully, and his growing relationship with Sam.

This chapter uses a repeating phrase, alternating with lines of a simple recount, which includes a conversation, to convey monumental regret. Because Sam and Davey live down the same road as each other their mums make them get along, Sam then realizes that he really does want to be Davey's friend but he hides it at school and that's when trouble starts. An easy-to-follow plan, a set of thought-provoking slides, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources are all included in this Cloud Busting KS2 lesson pack.