Rabbit Moon

Thinking that he has found the moon fallen from the sky, an old rabbit tries to put it back where it belongs

PreSchool-Grade 3-- A spare, satisfying picture book. The kindhearted rabbit, Albert, mistakes a fallen garden party decoration for the moon and tries to rehang it in the sky. After some misadventure, the real moon appears from behind a cloud, and the contented old rabbit, thinking he has been successful, hops slowly home. This is a painter's book, with rich oils, especially greens and browns, that seem to soak through the pages and imaginative use of shadow and light. The feelings that these colors evoke reveal the real story here. They take readers beyond the literal "what happens" into a magical elsewhere. --Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Library, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a slight story vaguely reminiscent of Frank Asch's Moongame or Chris Demarest's more recent The Lunatic Adventure of Kitman and Willie , Rowe tells about an old rabbit named Albert, who takes solace in the moon on sleepless nights and becomes distraught when it suddenly disappears. Finding a discarded party decoration in the shape of a crescent moon, Albert tries to replace it in the sky, where he thinks it belongs. While stylish in design, Rowe's art may be a bit austere for its intended audience. His characters, for instance, are more a design element than lifelike figures as they sit on stark, minimalist pages. His palette boldly pairs green with purple and blends red, yellow and gray; however, subtleties in the visual narrative may be lost on children. A simple and gentle story nonetheless, and an unusual book for the aesthetically inclined. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.