It was especially fun to note how many kids said they would enjoy spending a day with Granny, the main character. I thought the story was interesting and I think kids will have a really fun time making the sounds highlighted throughout the story. The first six pages pull readers into a lush, beautiful world of nighttime: “When the sun has set, silence falls over the Big Forest, and all of the nighttime animals wake up. It stands tall against a pitch-black sky as we peer into each apartment to gaze at the tenants and their homes. This modern, whimsical spin on a classic Korean folktale transports readers with eye-catching, detailed artwork and a magical story .

I loved Doerr’s earlier novel, All the Light We Cannot See, but had not gravitated to this one – until now. With a background in film animation, her unique visual style features handmade miniature figurines and environments painstakingly lighted and photographed.The reviews and comments posted on this site reflect the opinions of individual posters and do not reflect the views of Cannonball Read. Dreamy illustrations are crafted from dioramas and cut-paper charcoal drawings, with a softly glowing candle-flame–colored moon and friends and neighbors who are a variety of creatures but all wearing summery human pajamas. Turning the page catches readers by surprise, though: the family of fireflies is decidedly comical and silly-looking. An intriguing premise in which the moon phases occur by melting, and then fertilizing a new plant that releases a tiny grain of new moon.

When Granny discovers that the moon is melting—the dripping luminescent moon makes for a surreal and indelible image—she catches some drops in a bucket and whips up a batch of glowing moon pops, which cool everyone off. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. This story shows the compassion of a stranger to her neighbors and her creativity while trying to solve the problem of her neighbors struggling with the extreme heat.On a simmering summer night, everyone in the apartment complex is doing everything they can to cool down. Marcie, an LE teacher, enjoyed Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (one of my favorites), Leave the World Behind by Rumann Alam, and Math Games with Bad Drawings by Ben O rlin. Similarly, the text moves from a lulling, magical cadence to a distinct shift in mood as the bugs ready themselves for their foray into the night: “They wave their bottoms in the air, wiggle their feelers, take a deep, deep breath, and sing, ‘Here we go, it’s time to glow! Baek lights them with glowing touches of the moon, lemony yellow lights that illuminate the darkness and provide comfort and connections. This retelling of the Korean folktale of the Legend of the Moon Rabbit is the perfect book to read on a sweltering summer evening.

At first unsure what do with the drops, she is soon inspired to turn them into popsicles--moon pops!The intelligence of Granny and her willingness to share and help make for an unusual folktale of community both nearby and far.