The Boy and the Blue Moon

by Sara O'Leary, Ashley Crowley (Illustrator)

Overview

On the night of a blue moon, a boy and his cat set out for a walk and find themselves on a magical adventure. Together they travel through fields of flowers, forests of towering trees, and lakes of deep dark blue. Flying through starry blue skies, they reach the blue moon. But the blue planet, Earth, calls the explorers home. Safely back in bed, the boy wonders—was it only a dream?

- GODWIN BOOKS -

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250304810
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	02/13/2018
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	22 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sara O'Leary is the author of many beloved books for children, including This is Sadie, You Are One, and When You Were Small.

A former police officer, Ashley Crowley found his passion in children's books. He is the author-illustrator of Officer Panda and has illustrated a number of other books for children. Ashley lives with his son, Frankie, in Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Editorial Reviews

"As magical as The Little Prince; as satisfying as Where the Wild Things Are." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on The Boy and the Blue Moon

"the evocative artwork and cozy wind-down message . . . make this a good choice for bedtime reading" —Booklist, on The Boy and the Blue Moon

"A magical adventure or a dream—listeners to the tale can decide for themselves. A fun and appealing bedtime choice." —School Library Journal on The Boy and the Blue Moon

"Crowley’s use of perspective combined with the glossy paper creates a lot of depth, as the light catches the darkest elements and makes them nearly glow. The fanciful, lyrical text and the boy’s shock of yellow hair make the book a bit reminiscent of The Little Prince" —The Horn Book on The Boy and the Blue Moon

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—The blue moon casts a mystical light one night, so a boy and his cat decide to go for a walk. Magical things occur as the two walk along: bluebells ring out a tune, a lake appears out of nowhere, and a sudden trip to the moon turns out to be everything the child could wish for. The decor of the boy's bedroom reveals his fascination with all things lunar, including a telescope, a poster of a man walking on the moon's surface, and the orange jumper the youngster was wearing while visiting the earth's satellite. Mixed media illustrations use a variety of materials such as gouache, graphite sticks, and colored pencils to create pictures in various shades of blue with white and a bit of bright red and orange included. VERDICT A magical adventure or a dream—listeners to the tale can decide for themselves. A fun and appealing bedtime choice.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI

School Library Journal

★ 2017-11-22
A boy and his cat magically travel to the moon on the night of the blue moon. In this book that's reminiscent of The Little Prince in its poetic otherworldly-ness that is nevertheless firmly rooted in human longings, a white boy and his cat venture out on a familiar forest walk on the night of the blue moon—a time, the boy says, when "anything can happen." It's hard to overstate how tightly crafted this story is, from its gently precise narrative ("Wish-wish," say the waves—a hint to readers of the boy's longing to go to the moon) to its illustrative prowess: the cat wordlessly turns blue as it grooms itself in six sequential vignettes, alerting readers early to magical potential. With a sure touch O'Leary suspends reality as the boy and cat first go for a row and then journey to the moon, which is "perfect"—but then, as in Sendak's masterpiece, loneliness brings them home again. Crowley's illustrations enhance and complete the story as he uses a predominantly blue-and-white palette to evoke a moonlit, shadow-filled night that convincingly creates magical possibility, just as the use of red for the boy's lifejacket and then spacesuit and the yellow glow of the lights of home create a feeling of warmth and safety. As magical as The Little Prince; as satisfying as Where the Wild Things Are. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews