Luna and the Moon Rabbit

by Camille Whitcher

Overview

A dreamy fairy tale about a rabbit who lives on the moon . . . and comes down to visit a little girl.
 
Inspired by Asian folklore (Moon Rabbit) and the films of Studio Ghibli, this magical tale follows a young girl who befriends the “moon rabbit” and accompanies him on a nighttime adventure through otherworldly landscapes. Parents and children alike will be mesmerized by the enchanting illustrations and a soothing bedtime story that explores the power of imagination, the importance of friendship, and the beauty of the natural world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781912233250
Publisher:	Salariya
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	374,792
Product dimensions:	10.50(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 18 Years

About the Author

Camille Whitcher is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Art, where she studied Children’s Book Illustration. This is her debut picture book, inspired by the stories Camille was told as a child by her Japanese grandmother.

Editorial Reviews

07/16/2018
Inspired by Asian folklore, this atmospheric story (first published in the U.K.) opens as Luna sits with her grandmother and stuffed bunny, gazing at the full moon. Visible on the luminous orb is a faint silhouette of a rabbit, which the woman explains is the Moon Rabbit, who will visit Luna if she leaves a rice cake for him. Though skeptical, the girl complies at bedtime and is rewarded: after the Moon Rabbit appears at her window, the two embark on a dreamlike romp in a forest filled with fireflies encircled by gossamer halos, “flitting to and fro in the darkness.” Whitcher deftly manipulates shadow and light in her ethereal art, as the oversize, phosphorescent white rabbit and radiant dandelions (magically open at night) pop from the subtly moonlit landscape. One of those blooms transforms into a glowing dandelion puff, which Luna blows upon to create another visual treat: the pastel-hued, featherlike seeds swirl upward, “joining the stars in the night sky.” In a sweet and gentle finale, Moon Rabbit delivers a sleepy Luna to her bed, where her bunny toy awaits her, before soaring home. Ages 3–up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Drawing inspiration from Asian folklore, this imaginative tale begins with a young girl gazing at the dark sky and listening to her grandmother’s description of a rabbit that lives on the moon. Wearing bunny pajamas and slippers and sleeping in a room decorated with rabbit pictures and toys, the girl obviously is a fan. Delighted at the thought of a moon rabbit, Luna leaves a rice cake on her windowsill. A magical, dreamy adventure begins when the giant white rabbit accepts the treat and leads Luna on a nighttime journey chasing fireflies through nearby woods, exploring a field of dandelions, wishing on falling stars, and visiting a koi pond. The moon rabbit then delivers an exhausted Luna safely home. The color palette used for these soft, sleepy scenes is appropriately muted, with everything mostly gray except for the rabbit’s luminous white fur and pink eyes, which are echoed in Luna’s pink pajamas. A lovely read-alike for Raymond Briggs’ much-loved The Snowman (1978).” —BooklistOnline

From the Publisher

2018-05-28
A girl and Moon Rabbit embark on a quiet, nighttime adventure. Luna doesn't think Moon Rabbit actually exists, and yet curiosity brings her to the windowsill, where she dozes off while waiting. When she wakes, the white rabbit is there, larger than life. Together they chase fireflies, play in a dandelion field, and wish upon stars. Upon her falling asleep, Moon Rabbit carries Luna safely home before leaping across the night sky back to his place in the moon. Influenced by the Japanese folktale "Tsuki no Usagi," debut author/illustrator Whitcher also references Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as the young girl chases the white rabbit through a magical land. Interesting tableaux unfold; they are done in a flat perspective, perhaps in an effort to mirror a Hokusai print. As the tale goes on, the character renderings and compositions become stronger as the little Japanese girl travels through ethereal landscapes. The tiny bunny ears of her headband, her bunny slippers, and a profusion of bunny-themed decorations in her bedroom are among the artwork's many charming details.Bunny lovers will ask for repeat reads of this gentle bedtime tale. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews