At face value, 'Cloud' is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure story, but it is also much more than that.
To children, it is simply fun.
To adults it is an allegory.
Under the surface of the story, 'Cloud' deals with the issue of how to 'keep the faith' when confronted with new facts that are at odds with faith. These challenges to faith occur increasingly every day as archeologists and scientists uncover new information.
(Please be aware that while the story includes this 'struggle', it is neither intrusive nor found in great abundance. You can read over the occasional line and ignore it if you please).
You are entitled to your beliefs and 'Cloud' does not ask you to change them. For me, certain scientific knowledge is inescapable; the 'fossil record', scientific evidence in support of evolution and the age of the Earth. I have held fossils in my own hands. I've seen the progression of change found in the fossil record with my own eyes. Science shows us that our planet is billions of years old, not thousands. Through my understanding of physics, I know the long age of the earth is correct.
Some of us can deny the existence of evolution, the age of the earth and the existence of the fossil record. I cannot deny them, for me they are real. These things are not sinister and not evil; they are simply there.
This leaves me and many others that I know in the difficult position of reconciling faith and science. These scientific truths are 'in my face' - I cannot deny their existence. I've lost many, many nights of sleep, lying awake puzzling what these facts mean about the existence of God. I know others wonder too. This is part of what led me to write 'Cloud'.
The story 'Cloud' is an allegory, in which the cloud, while supplanting some Biblical events, stands in for new archeological and scientific fact.
The cloud, by his presence and actions is 'in the face' of the mother's faith; she cannot deny his existence - he is right there before her eyes and interacting with her.
She is challenged in maintaining her faith as she finds that the biblical stories she believed in may not be correct. She represents any of us whose faith is challenged by evidence that we cannot ignore.
The reader is not urged to change or re-examine their faith. The exploration is simply to consider ways of resolving this challenge, a challenge that may become more common as time goes on.
Some people are uncomfortable with this subject: they may be the ones who will need it the most. The dog tethered to the shortest chain defends his turf most severely - and take issue with 'Cloud'. To them I say, be at ease - there is no attack on faith here. The story contains only hope for a cure to nagging doubt that plagues some of us!
This subject is dealt with in a fairly sublime way. To kids who read the story, this struggle is all but invisible.
To kids, it's a fun story. To adults, it's a fun story that also exposes an often secret, internal struggle: 'What to believe?', 'How to keep believing?', 'Is any of it right?'. Who doesn't have some measure of doubt, however small?
It is easy to like the story itself - and many adults will find the thoughts surrounding the underlying struggle to be very grounding indeed.
'Cloud' - an enjoyable story for all, a valuable allegory for adults.
