Amber Moffat, I Would Dangle the Moon, Midnight Sun Publishing, June 2019, 32 pp., RRP $30.00 (hbk), ISBN 9781925227529
With the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing on July 20th, we can probably expect a greater focus than usual on our beautiful celestial neighbour in the coming weeks and months.
I Would Dangle the Moon is a gentle addition to the celebration, encouraging young children to imagine what they would do if they could pluck the glowing orb from the sky.
The first picture book from Arts educator and artist Amber Moffat, I Would Dangle the Moon shares the bedtime wonderings of a mother to her child; all of the wonderful things she would do if she could transform in different people or objects and use the moon to create amazing experiences. My favourite;
If I was a wave, I would wash the moon ashore for you to find – a polished salty treasure.
Moffat has captured a lyrical and poetic moment and accompanies it with paintings that fill the large square pages. The repetition in the text sets the scene for further creative innovation, as children could be challenged to imagine who or what they could be as they play with the moon.
Young children aged between 2-5 will enjoy this book, particularly shared at story time or as a bedtime shared text. This book would make a lovely gift for an aspiring astronaut or astronomer, and will appeal to boys and girls alike.
Reviewed by Kay Oddone
