One fateful night the moon shines so big and so bright that it is too heavy to hold itself up in the sky. When it tumbles down and breaks into many glimmering pieces, Luna sees the whole thing. Her grandfather warns that without the moon in the sky, the oceans will stop moving and the earth will start to wobble. Luna and Poppa must mend it, but they may not be able to do it all on their own.
Author Emma Pearl has created a sweet tale with a timeless, folklore feel. The story doesn't rely on rhyme which is a welcome relief, with Pearl instead relying on a descriptive and engaging text. She uses wonderful words like scoured, shards, blaze, to introduce children to new and exciting vocabulary.
The story is peaceful and calm, making it the perfect book to snuggle up with at bedtime. But it would also make a fantastic read-aloud in a school setting. It is full of imagination to inspire our younger writers, with some great life lessons - how we can work together to solve problems, how our flaws are special, how nature is worth saving.
Illustrator Sara Ugolotti builds on the gentle story to create whimsical pictures bursting with colour and light. Her illustrations are utterly delightful, adding to the whimsical magical feel of the story. Mending the Moon is a visually stunning book to look at - from the characters and setting, to the clever endpapers featuring a moth life cycle, to the hidden surprise under the dust cover, Ugolotti brings the magic.
This is a sweet story that combines nature and magic with a touch of folklore to create a book that will captivate readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Rebekah Lyell
Page Street Publishing