cover image Moon Babies

Moon Babies

Karen Jameson, illus. by Amy Hevron. Putnam, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-525-51481-7

In a lyrical bedtime story, anthropomorphic baby moons with blissful, doll-like expressions orbit throughout an intergalactic world of constellations and purple skies. At moonrise, the orbs begin their busy day, setting out for a walk and various amusements. When moonset looms, they bathe in a “grand celestial tub” with a swirl of soapsuds and “stardust powder”; eat “steamy porridge, smooth and white” from bowls seen floating along a swirl of interstellar light near the Little Dipper; and gather around to snuggle and listen to Mother Goose nursery rhymes before heading off to bed (even moon babies, it seems, “drift off, rock-a-byed”). Hevron creates a dreamy, cozy atmosphere in gentle painterly scenes that aren’t attached to any particular time or place. Readers themselves may feel as though they are floating serenely alongside the peaceful lunar characters. Ages 3–5. [em](July) [/em]