In April of 1986 in the former USSR, everyone is surprised by the sudden warmth and heatwave of the weather, hardly suspecting a tragedy... This tragedy will have many repercussions for Katya and Sasha, a young couple who immigrate to America, especially when their son Yuri is born with a rare heart disease and will be forced to sit on the sidelines and watch his life pass him by.

THE SECRET OF CLOUDS by Alyson Richman is a tale destined to touch the heart and the mind of many readers. Going back and forth between 1986 and early 2000s, one story is told of a woman's choice to leave everything she knows to go with her persecuted husband, and the other of Katya and Sasha's desperate attempts to help their son cope with his life with the help of his English teacher, Maggie. Richman uses literature to show how it helps both Maggie and Yuri make difficult decisions their lives, and how they both learn from one another.

THE SECRET OF CLOUDS felt cinematic while I read it; I found it similar to films where teachers have tremendous impacts on their students, and I greatly enjoyed the journey Maggie and Yuri go on together. They bond over holidays and food, as well as through various hobbies, like baseball. I found the character of Maggie's fiance somewhat unbelievable and thought it could have been handled better. Nonetheless, for a reader seeking a heartbreaking yet sweet tale of hope, learning, literature and humanity, THE SECRET OF CLOUDS by Alyson Richman should fill in those needs.