The Moon Shines Down »

What child hasn t been lulled to sleep -- or at least comforted -- by the gentle rhymes of Margaret Wise Brown s classic Goodnight Moon? Brown, a former teacher, believed that very young children could be fascinated in the simple pleasures of the world around them, and created some of the most enduring and beloved children s books of all time.

Forgotten for decades in a dusty, tucked-away trunk, The Moon Shines Down brings to life once more the unmistakable voice of Margaret Wise Brown. This soon-to-be classic allows a whole new generation of children to discover, cherish, and enjoy the artistry of this beloved author.

Never before published, The Moon Shines Down on children all over the world from right next door to across the sea, from where "a Dutch boy dreams" and "cowbells ring" to "across the sea in the Far, Far East", through the familiar prayer:

I see the Moon

And the Moon sees me.

God bless the Moon,

And God bless me.

Publishers Weekly

"Completed" by Thomas Nelson publisher Laura Minchew, this unfinished manuscript by the author of Goodnight Moon takes as its inspiration the nursery rhyme/child's prayer "I See the Moon." The result lacks the clean simplicity of image and rhythm of Brown's best work. Unexceptionalverses describe how the moon shines on different countries and children ("I see the Moon and the Moon sees me,/ And the Moon sees the Dutch boy/ Far over the sea") and how God blesses them all ("[And God bless] the little French children-oui, oui, oui, oui!"). A couple of verses about Christmas and the Christ Child, meanwhile, don't fit the context of a world tour. Bleck's playful paintings are a literal bright spot, with nearly every scene featuring a yellow full moon amid a purple-blue nighttime sky. She casts a koala bear as the narrator (which creates some continuity problems when the text touches down in Australia, but is otherwise fun). Happy children and sometimes smiling animals cavort around iconic symbols of the visited countries-windmills, Eiffel Tower, thatch roof cottage-lending a peaceful mood to the proceedings. Ages 3-8. (Nov.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.