Publishers Weekly Review
| Die-cuts reveal the phases of the moon as it waxes and wanes in this companion to Tree and Bee. "Have you ever wondered why/ The moon shines in the nighttime sky?" writes Hegarty as the book opens. "How every creature, plant, and tree/ Is subject to its mystery?" Teckentrup's grainy-textured images reveal the nocturnal worlds of animals in a variety of habitats that include the desert and a beach where turtles amass to lay their eggs under a full moon (oddly, the moon blinks out and becomes a new moon on the following page). Though readers won't learn much about the animals or moon itself, it's still a dramatic and poetic nighttime journey. Ages 3-7. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. |
School Library Journal Review
| PreS-Gr 1-The moon provides a unifying theme for a whirlwind tour around the world's habitats, including the desert, the ocean, the jungle, the icy arctic, and many more. With every page turn in this follow-up to the similarly illustrated Tree, readers are taken to a new location lit by a moon that gradually ebbs and then wanes, the result of clever die-cuts on almost every page. The illustrations are clearly this work's heart and soul-indeed, Hegarty, the author of its charming rhymed couplets, receives credit only in a tiny mention in the copyright note. And the illustrations certainly merit close study. Textured brushstrokes and a palette that ranges from basic black to blues and even greens convey the subtle differences of the night sky from place to place, while young readers will delight in finding the many creatures on every page. The final spread brings readers home to safe houses under a large, warm crescent moon, making this a comforting bedtime choice. VERDICT A lovely addition perfect for bedtime and one-on-one sharing.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Horn Book Review
| Have you ever wondered why / The moon shines in the nighttime sky?" In Teckentrup's latest "peek-through" book (Bee etc.), the moon glows through a small die-cut moon-phase, changing shape in nearly every spread; it helps the animals below it, who live in various habitats, navigate the night. The book provides enchanting rhymes, atmospheric art, and the tactile pleasure of investigating the lunar cycle. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Kirkus Review
| Third in the Peek-Through Picture Books series that includes Tree (2016) and Bee (2017), this volume employs die cuts to explore the phases of the moon.Starting with the crescent on the cover, the orb waxes until it is full, about halfway through the book. Along the way, Teckentrup's digitally manipulated handmade collages reveal the beauty and variety found in nocturnal settings around the globe. She depicts the flora and fauna of the ocean, tundra, savanna, desert, and other biomes. Some creatures gaze up at the sky; others stare out at readers. In each scene, a few animals shimmer in the illumination, while the shadows contain hidden surprises. The author's rhyming text includes well-chosen language that delights the ear and scans reasonably well: "A scorpion scuttles through the night, / Glowing with an eerie light." Curiously, the sequence of views after the full moon includes a "new" (nearly invisible) moonand then the full moon againbefore moving through the waning stages. Since this is not the actual progression one would witness, this is potentially confusing. Perhaps the decision results from a design challenge related to the die cuts, but while this is obviously not marketed as a science book, the choice is nevertheless unfortunate, since the changes to the moon's appearance are the book's focus. The cycle should be accurate.An engaging if flawed title. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
