Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery

Cute story & illustrations

I've read many reviews of this book, yet none mention the book was written as an analogy for death and heaven. I first heard of the book during an interview on TV w/Jamie Lee Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis said she wrote it after the death of a very close friend. It's a very abstract way of talking about where people go after they pass away. It is one of the best books on this subject for young children that I have found. I send this book to friends as a gift when they have experienced a loss in their lives. It has always meant a lot to the people who have received it.

This book clearly deserves more than five stars!Most good children's books have a primary story line that entertains the children, and brings home an important lesson. The outstanding children's books manage to combine more than one lesson. The great children's books appeal to adults as much as to children. The classic children's books take children and adults to places, thoughts, and lessons that they would never otherwise have considered. Where Do Balloons Go? has all of the elements of a classic children's book, with some novel improvements in combining text and illustrations to expand your imagination.Where Do Balloons Go? begins with this query:"Where do balloons go when you let them go free?It can happen by accident. It's happened to me."Now, if you are like me, you assume that the helium-filled balloons are carried high into the air until they either develop a hole and burst or explode from the expansion of the helium into the near-vacuum around the balloon. Not very exciting as alternative thoughts, are they? That dead-end in your mind, though, sets you up for the wonderful, mind-expanding speculations in this interesting book."Are they always alone? Do they ever meet up in pairs?Do they ever get married and make balloon heirs?"To fully appreciate this set of questions, you have to imagine the illustrations that complement the queries. Balloons are dining in a restaurant, having a romantic time. Using that illustrative vision to launch into the idea of balloon "heirs" (pun obviously intended for "airs") is hilarious. I just loved it. The illustrations are done in vibrant colors, emphasizing lots of purples, that create a play with the text and vice versa as the above example shows to greatly expand the meaning of the book. For a further example, the text says that balloons are" . . . always concerned that they'll POP -- maybe caught up in wires pushed by the breeze . . . or tangled in trees . . . . "The corresponding illustration emphasizes professional human balloon detanglers with advertisements and all kinds of specialized gear untangling balloons from trees. The illustrations have a Richard Scarry-type appearance combined with a New Yorker-style sophistication that effortlessly engage these illustrations to nicely bridge the gap between children and adults, without excluding either side of the audience. In this sequence, you have an additional reversal in that people are serving the balloons, rather than our usual conception of the object serving the person. Without this illustration for the text, that final visual play on the verbal concept would not have been possible.A standard technique for children's books is just to anthromorphize the objects. This book goes well beyond that. First, different types of anthromophization are employed (as objects with senses "twisted by clowns" as well as self-animate objects "Do they tango with airplanes?"). The balloons are also made into crea

That dynamic duo, Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell ponder the age-old question, Where Do Balloons Go?, in their fourth collaboration of the same name. Written in rhyme, Curtis' gentle, witty, imaginative story will delight and amuse children of all ages as they explore the possibilities of what might happen when you let go of a balloon. "Do they tango with airplanes? Or cha-cha with birds? Can plain balloons read balloons printed with words?" Cornell's busy, expressive illustrations add just the right touch to this wonderful story and will keep youngsters entranced reading after reading as they find new hidden pictures and scenes. This is a real gem of a book, the whole family will enjoy, that is sure to become a classic in years to come.

"WHERE DO BALLOONS GO" is sweet and so bright. Althought it may be intended for young children, I believe any aged reader would enjoy the light rhyming story. This title is also filled with beautiful and bright illustrations.There are fun stickers and special pages for sticker play in a wonderful hardback book that is sure to bring a smile and lift to the reader.This book would also make a great gift for someone who is moving on or letting go. In all aspects from the construction, print quality, artwork to the written word it is truly a winner!

Jamie Lee Curtis (actress, author and mom) and Laura Cornell (illustrator) let their imaginations run wild as they explore the possibilities (Are there balloon cities? Balloons in space?) The humor is gentle and a touch sly (adults will recognize such in-jokes like a nervous balloon waiting near the Bates Motel from the movie PSYCHO - a nod to Ms Curtis's mom, Janet Leigh, who was in the film.)This is the fourth book from this creative duo and is probably my favorate so far! A must for the inquisitive child, it also includes cool reusable stickers with a little play area in the back of the book.