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WHEN THE MOON CAME DOWN

A quietly enchanting story to share right before naptime or bed to remind young children of the safety and comfort of the...

Moons and rabbits have a long history of sharing stories—witness the U.S. classic Goodnight Moon or folktales from China, Japan, and Korea.

In this new bedtime story by a well-known Turkish writer/illustrator, the moon and a rabbit enter into a friendly relationship. In luminous watercolor scenes, with deep blue skies and twinkling stars, the moon travels down to Earth one night when soft, white Little Bunny wakes, hungry, but is afraid to venture far from his bed. Starting as a crescent, the moon lights the way for the pair to find luscious berries. Each night, as the moon grows fuller, the two explore the local countryside. A tape measure artfully demarcates the white text of one page from a border showing the moon phases. Finally, when the moon is full, the prescient orb guesses Little Bunny’s wish. “Perhaps you should wish to climb up into the sky and touch the stars?” After a beautiful, wordless, double-page, full-bleed spread of the full moon and Little Bunny staring up at a shooting star in an endless night sky, the friends proceed to do just that. “The stars are delighted to meet Little Bunny. Together they dance across the sky.”

A quietly enchanting story to share right before naptime or bed to remind young children of the safety and comfort of the light that shines down upon the Earth at night. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-988-8341-76-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: minedition

Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019

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THE WILD ROBOT ON THE ISLAND

A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.

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What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?

“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.

A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: June 24, 2025

ISBN: 9780316669467

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025

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PEANUT BUTTER & CUPCAKE

Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...

The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.

Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.

Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: July 29, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014

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