The Shadow in the Moon by Christina Matula

Reviewed from copy provided by Charlesbridge.Įnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.Īrchives Archives Categories Categories Tags adventures African-Americans American history animals art artists bears bedtime biographies birds bullying cats community creativity death diversity dogs emotions fairy tales families fantasy fathers food friendship friendships grandparents grief historical fiction history humor imagination LGBTQ magic mothers music mysteries nature pets poetry rabbits racism romance school science science fiction seasons self esteem siblings toddlers trees Blogroll The legend is shown with primarily deep jeweled colors as the background, inviting readers into the richness of the tale.Ī wonderful and warm introduction to Chinese festivals, this picture book offers a look at how festivals carry on in modern society while also telling the story behind it all. The modern family is shown on white backgrounds that are clean and crisp. The illustrations also make a clear distinction between the stories. Her writing is clear, describing the mooncakes in a mouthwatering way and the inspiring actions of the legendary characters in a way that allows the melancholy yet beautiful tale to shine. The two stories are clearly separate, which works really well for a young audience. Matula merges a modern tale of a Chinese family with the legend that inspired this festival. After the story, the girls are ready to light their paper lanterns and make their wishes, inspired by the heroism of Hou Yi and Chang’e. Hou Yi discovered what had happened and would sit in the garden and look up at the moon, providing mooncakes on the anniversary of the day she transformed. The potion turned her into the Spirit and Lady in the Moon. When a thief came to steal the potion, Hou Yi’s wife, Chang’e, drank it rather than have it fall into the wrong hands. Hou Yi was given a magic potion for his courage by the Immortals. The last one he asked to share the sky with the moon. The suns would not listen and stop shining so hard, so a young archer, Hou Yi, shot down nine of the moons. It was in a time when there were ten suns in the sky, baking the earth. As the mooncakes are served, Ah-ma tells the story of Chang’e, the Spirit and Lady in the Moon. They will look at the moon and then each person makes a wish for the upcoming year. The whole family gathers for the Mid-Autumn Festival to give thanks for the harvest. The Shadow in the Moon: A Tale of the Mid-Autumn Festival by Christina Matula, illustrated by Pearl Law (9781580897464)

The Shadow in the Moon by Christina Matula