The Cloud That Stays

The concept for the book first emerged during Mihaela's student years when she aimed to explore the cyclical nature of emotions in a way that was accessible and not overly abstract or difficult to understand. Years later, with the fresh perspective of parenthood, she returned to the project with a wish to create a story that opens a gentle space for shared reflection, rather than offering clear answers.

The result is a two-sided leporello book about a boy, a dandelion, and a cloud that lingers. On one side, the cloud brings a storm and takes the flower from the child’s hands. On the other hand, the rain nourishes the world, bringing back even more color and life.

The two sides are linked by a die-cut element that serves as both a tear and a raindrop – a reminder that sadness and growth are deeply connected, and that all things move in cycles.

And yes, we couldn’t resist using Pantone colors for printing. Despite the “gloomy” theme, we added two bright neon inks to the palette, making a total of four colors – because sadness doesn’t cancel out brightness.

The Cloud That Stays was first presented at Plovdiv’s largest literary festival, where we hosted a raindrop-drawing workshop that became part of an exhibition, along with a collective reading. Since then, we’ve been invited to present and discuss the book in numerous venues and media, creating a safe space to share and reflect on the topic.