Gray Fox in the Moonlight

by Isaac Peterson

Overview

2023 PUBWEST DESIGN AWARDS WINNER

“This book needs not one breath more for its perfect autumn and winter message.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Gray Fox wanders alone in the forest at night. The woods are illuminated in the silvery light of the full moon and stars. She gazes around in wonder at the light in the birch grove and stops to look at her reflection in the river. But something calls to her in her reverie. She must return to her den by dawn to care for her kits when they wake.

With simple poetry young children will love, Gray Fox in the Moonlight is a journey through a nighttime wonderland that celebrates the love between parents and children. Simple two-color illustrations overflow with light in this evergreen story that illustrates the value of independence in the parental relationship as well as the powerful bond which calls us home from wandering. Gray Fox in the Moonlight revels in the profound beauty of nature.

MORE PRAISE FOR GRAY FOX IN THE MOONLIGHT

“The text matches the fox’s steps so perfectly that readers may feel as though they’re following her home through the woods.” —Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781685550332
Publisher:	The Collective Book Studio
Publication date:	01/24/2023
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Isaac Peterson is a fine artist and designer who grew up in Alaska. This book is inspired by one of his earliest memories: cross-country skiing to school in Fairbanks during the part of winter when it is completely dark. Isaac has taught art extensively all over the US. Isaac lives in Bend, Oregon with his family.

Editorial Reviews

02/13/2023

Simple storytelling and a moody palette of grays, blues, and yellows document the nighttime explorations of a sleek gray fox venturing home to its sleeping kits. Basic subject-verb-adverb descriptions of the fox’s movements (“Gray Fox/ walks// so lightly”) mingle with quiet moments of observation (“The breeze/ moves slightly”). In one spread, the fox, presented in shadowy silhouette, looks skyward through a stand of largely bare birch-like trunks, through which “the stars shine/ between the leaves.” Peterson’s text works neatly alongside crisp graphic renderings, whose varied textures catch the eye. As the sun fills a final page with warm tones, the fox curls up beside her young—a gentle reminder that even the nocturnal must find time to rest. Ages 2–8. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Gray Fox in the Moonlight revels in the profound beauty of nature, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections."

Midwest Book Review

"Enchanting and peaceful, Gray Fox in the Moonlight will dazzle young and old alike with beautiful illustrations, the ties of family and nature, and a spirit of curiosity."

Keeley Norton

"Gray Fox in the Moonlight is a book tied to no era, which perfectly suits a timeless hymn to the natural world and to parents' love for their children."

Shelf Awareness

"STARRED REVIEW! This work’s spare text is chosen with expert precision so that the few words have maximum impact. The text’s placement echoes the movement it depicts, making this book rife with early literacy opportunities. The monochromatism of the austere, gray tones doesn’t want for detail and depth. Peterson’s shifts in perspectives throughout create a sense of movement and heighten the immersive aspects of his illustrative style. Somber, contemplative works are often dense with text, whereas this book needs not one breath more for its perfect autumn and ­winter message." —School Library Journal

"The text matches the fox’s steps so perfectly that readers may feel as though they’re following her home through the woods. But then, that’s the entirety of the story: Gray Fox goes home to her children and falls asleep. There’s no drama here, but if the story were any less spare, readers might not stop to see the wonders along the way." —Kirkus Reviews

"Gray Fox in the Moonlight is a book tied to no era, which perfectly suits a timeless hymn to the natural world and to parents' love for their children." —Nell Beram, Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

Enchanting and peaceful, Gray Fox in the Moonlight will dazzle young and old alike with beautiful illustrations, the ties of family and nature, and a spirit of curiosity.

Moonlight Book Club

Gray Fox in the Moonlight is a book tied to no era, which perfectly suits a timeless hymn to the natural world and to parents' love for their children.

Shelf Awareness - Nell Beram

★ 01/01/2023

Gr 1–3—A mother fox pads through the brisk autumn forest, the lone creature moving in the veil of night. As she strolls, she absorbs the sights and sounds of her surroundings—the descent of autumn leaves, the glimpses of the moon and stars through the canopy overhead, and her reflection in the winding river. After a moment of quiet solemnity, the mother fox swiftly follows the trail back to her den of kits just as the sun rises. This work's spare text is chosen with expert precision so that the few words have maximum impact. The text's placement echoes the movement it depicts, making this book rife with early literacy opportunities. The monochromatism of the austere, gray tones doesn't want for detail and depth. Peterson's shifts in perspectives throughout create a sense of movement and heighten the immersive aspects of his illustrative style. Somber, contemplative works are often dense with text, whereas this book needs not one breath more for its perfect autumn and winter message. VERDICT Even the youngest of toddlers will be quickly absorbed in this brief but engaging work.—Sarah Simpson

School Library Journal

2022-10-27
Never trust a picture book.

People who grow up with children’s books may have strange, romanticized ideas about animals: Elephants are as regal as Babar. Caterpillars are cuddly and very hungry. The foxes in this picture book are more beautiful than any real animal. Gray Fox is as dark as a shadow, and her eyes are as wide as moons. Peterson has even improved on the sky. Glowing lights spiral across it, like milk dissolving in a cup of coffee. But readers will be grateful they had a chance to see it. The text is just as poetic: “All the world is still / until // Gray Fox moves again.” The poetry often comes less from the words than from the spaces between them. One sentence is scattered across the spread a word at a time: “The / stars / shine / between / the / leaves.” The text matches the fox’s steps so perfectly that readers may feel as though they’re following her home through the woods. But then, that’s the entirety of the story: Gray Fox goes home to her children and falls asleep. There’s no drama here, but if the story were any less spare, readers might not stop to see the wonders along the way. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

If foxes have lost some of their fairy-tale enchantment, this book might restore it. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews