Overview

""If we loved, much like the moon, then would we be as kind?"" On a sleepless night, while gazing up at the skies, a child realizes that the world would be a better place if we acted with empathy and understanding. Around the world, we all look up at the same moon and it shines down on each person equally. The moon isn't afraid to share its sky with the stars; the moon knows the stars don't take away its ability to shine. This heartfelt, rhyming story is a great conversation starter on kindness and equality for children with illustrations capturing all walks of life.

Full Product Details

9781953859594

Table of Contents

Reviews

A nighttime poem rooted in a city landscape, encouragement to be compassionate, and, of course, moonlight. 'If we loved, / much like the moon, / then would we / be as kind?' is the question--and challenge--posed here. Nameless people with varied skin tones and body types move through a city's sleepy streets under the sliver of a moon. Moonlight is a peaceful comfort and combatant in the face of nighttime monsters, portrayed as the scary shadows cast by an ominous coat rack. The palette of blues, reds, greens, and black is expertly shaded, conveying a dreamy mood appropriate to the subject. In one scene, it is implied that if more people acted with love like the moon's, a person wouldn't be stuck pushing their broken car alone through the streets. On another page, the text 'The moonlight makes us silhouettes, / and people of one race, / shining down on everyone / equally with grace' is paired with an image of a light-skinned person in bell-bottoms, a Black person with headphones and a hoodie, a portly White construction worker, and a tan-skinned skateboarder. It's an odd choice that reflects a flattening, outdated, colorblind approach to race. Though for the most part the ideas about treating others with empathy are commendable and the illustrations are carefully crafted, it doesn't make up for the text's rather simplistic approach to the differences that define us. Art shines but words wobble. --Kirkus Reviews -- (1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM) Via loose rhymes, Buckner invites readers to view the moon as a model of peace, comfort, and love in this message-driven picture book. The moon, lines suggest, 'never gets offended/ that we like to sleep at night, ' it 'spreads its love to all the creatures, ' and it brings 'comfort and light' amid the darkness. Shadow-filled gouache and digitally colored illustrations by Ortiz depict a metropolitan setting populated by people with varying body types and skin tones. While text seeks to portray the moon as a uniting entity, 'colorblind' phrasing ('The moonlight makes us silhouettes, / and people of one race, / shining down on everyone/ equally with grace') lessens the book's impact. --Publishers Weekly -- (2/13/2023 12:00:00 AM)

""A nighttime poem rooted in a city landscape, encouragement to be compassionate, and, of course, moonlight. . . . The palette of blues, reds, greens, and black is expertly shaded, conveying a dreamy mood appropriate to the subject.""—Kirkus Reviews "". . . Buckner invites readers to view the moon as a model of peace, comfort, and love in this message-driven picture book.""—Publishers Weekly

A nighttime poem rooted in a city landscape, encouragement to be compassionate, and, of course, moonlight. 'If we loved, / much like the moon, / then would we / be as kind?' is the question--and challenge--posed here. Nameless people with varied skin tones and body types move through a city's sleepy streets under the sliver of a moon. Moonlight is a peaceful comfort and combatant in the face of nighttime monsters, portrayed as the scary shadows cast by an ominous coat rack. The palette of blues, reds, greens, and black is expertly shaded, conveying a dreamy mood appropriate to the subject. In one scene, it is implied that if more people acted with love like the moon's, a person wouldn't be stuck pushing their broken car alone through the streets. On another page, the text 'The moonlight makes us silhouettes, / and people of one race, / shining down on everyone / equally with grace' is paired with an image of a light-skinned person in bell-bottoms, a Black person with headphones and a hoodie, a portly White construction worker, and a tan-skinned skateboarder. It's an odd choice that reflects a flattening, outdated, colorblind approach to race. Though for the most part the ideas about treating others with empathy are commendable and the illustrations are carefully crafted, it doesn't make up for the text's rather simplistic approach to the differences that define us. Art shines but words wobble. --Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

"". . . Buckner invites readers to view the moon as a model of peace, comfort, and love in this message-driven picture book.""—Publishers Weekly ""A nighttime poem rooted in a city landscape, encouragement to be compassionate, and, of course, moonlight. . . . The palette of blues, reds, greens, and black is expertly shaded, conveying a dreamy mood appropriate to the subject.""—Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Sarah Buckner was born in Washington D.C., and has always had a passion for creative writing. Sarah hopes to inspire the next generation through her storytelling that is rooted in her experiences, love of nature, and her wild imagination. She writes to promote love, courage, and cultural awareness. Sarah earned a Bachelor's Degree in Global Studies from Coppin State University and a Master's Degree in New Media Photojournalism from George Washington University. She shares her life with her son, two dogs, two cats, two lizards, and husband. Paula Ortiz was born in Medellín, Colombia. She is a graphic designer with a master's in children's literature and has worked as an illustrator in the publishing sector for more than 10 years. The language of her brushstrokes is simple, candid, and sweet, which allows her to create her own universe with characters who tell stories through beautiful metaphors. Her work is influenced by the textile world, making it wonderfully rich in shapes, colors, and textures. Paula currently lives in a small coffee town in Colombia hidden in the mountains, working next to her dog, cat, and her beloved Piggy.

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