Sun and Moon
Lindsey Yankey
Simply Read Books
2015
Sun and Moon have always held their own places in the sky, but after a lifetime of darkness Moon wants to trade. "Just for one day," begs Moon. Before agreeing to grant his wish, however, Sun makes a special request. Will it change Moon's mind?
Awarded Kansas Notable Book for 2016
Midwest Connections Pick, by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, October 2015.
Booklist STARRED REVIEW
"It’s an endearing and gratifying story of acceptance and patience, but it’s Yankey’s simply stunning illustrations that make this such a joy to pore over. In warm, saturated hues and tapestry-like textures, she paints gorgeous, captivating spreads of bold red poppies towering in the foreground of a field of wildflowers; lanky tigers stretched out in pools of sunshine; and a bunk bed of sleeping children, rendered in delicate, whisper-thin lines and muted tones, dreaming of boisterous colors and madcap adventures. Each wide-format, two-page spread is a beautiful composition on its own, but together with the gentle lines of the story, they invite close, slow examination, just as the pale-green moon must look carefully to notice the splendid magic of the night. Truly enchanting."
--Booklist Starred Review!, Sarah Hunter
"In a fablelike story about greener grasses and discovering wonder in one's own circumstances, the moon wishes to take the place of the sun for a day... Yankey's (Bluebird) poetic descriptions provide ample opportunity for her inky, enigmatic artwork to flourish. After dark, Moon observes gold-inlaid elephants forming a towering canopy for a nighttime carnival, lean foxes awakening in a den of wildflowers, and exploding fireworks that resemble stained glass. He also witnesses the whimsical dreams of children, boys and girls borne aloft in sailboats, a goose, and hot-air balloons. Ornamental detailing, collage elements, and delicately penciled figures that call to mind 19th-century children's book illustrations (a gangly lamplighter could be kin to the Mad Hatter) combine to create a lyrical reverie."
-- Publishers Weekly Ages 4–8. (Apr.)
"The artwork, which combines collage, cut-outs, porcelain block, and inks, is expertly used to create a beautiful and stunning modern-day folktale. The detailed, stylized artwork is perfectly in tune with the text. VERDICT: A terrific book pulled together with wonderful artwork. A treat for the eyes and ears."
--School Library Journal, Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA
"Lindsey Yankey's (Bluebird) stunning illustrations call to mind batik patterns and colors in this folktale-like story of Moon, who wishes to spend 'just one day' as the sun. A nighttime palette of violets and olive greens sets the scene. As Moon imagines the Sun's sights, the pages explode with poppies and black-eyed Susans that match the golden globe in the sky. A carnival-like atmosphere pervades as a parade of children balance on intricately patterned balls, and hold pinwheels and exotic banners. In another two-page spread, of 'tigers sunbathing,' one wraps its tail like an outline around the sun while another encircles a patch of flowers...Moon also sees 'children dreaming': riding astride a goose, on a sailboat, in a helium balloon. In a nod to The Little Prince, Moon views the blossoms of a baobab tree and watches a lamplighter at work. A mother owl who'd left her nest at the start of the book returns at the close with a meal for her young. Yankey's gentle message suggests that when we pay attention, our daily routines take on new meaning."--Shelf Awareness
"A beautiful and stunning modern-day folktale…A treat for the eyes and ears."
--School Library Journal
"A lovely tale to share, day or night."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Sun and Moon by Lindsey Yankey is one of those books that young children will want to hear and look at again and again and that parents will enjoy reading and sharing with them. For children who are a little apprehensive about the dark, Yankey provides some good reasons, in both words and pictures, to appreciate the dark night and its beauty. Yankey also provides a subtle message about the importance of really looking at and appreciating what you have rather than coveting what someone else has. Share Sun and Moon with your children as both a bedtime and an anytime story."
--About.com, Elizabeth Kennedy, Children's Books Expert (5 stars review)