And If the Moon Could Talk

by Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben

"Somewhere a pair of shoes lies under a chair. A window yawns open. Twilight blazes... read more

"Somewhere a pair of shoes lies under a chair. A window yawns open. Twilight blazes a trail across the wall. / And if the moon could talk, it would tell of evening stealing through the woods and a lizard scurrying home to supper." So begins the expertly paced pattern for a bedtime sequence, things a young child might see and hear at home, pictured on page spreads that alternate with those of distant landscapes - all illuminated by the same moon. Paintings executed in vibrant primary colors create a calm, secure,peaceful mood: stuffed animal resting in chair, music box sitting on shelf, mobile stirring in evening air, Papa reading story, Mama covering drowsy child. The extraordinary language and dependable rhythm of Banks' beautifully understated narrative express the gradual winding down of a little child's day. Banks' eloquent writing and Hallensleben's lush paintings, however, convey more than the reliable stuff of bedtime ritual. The globe on a dresser-top reiterates the subtle theme of a larger world. A painting hanging on the wall and a glimpse of a picture in the child's book subtlety refer to the role of art in daily life in this book that invites quiet exploration. (Ages 3-6)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1998

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