From Publishers Weekly
In this inventive nocturnal romp, Pilkey's (When Cats Dream; the Dragon books) delectable poetry sweeps readers into a fun-filled world where animals can be found "skating in moonlight/ And drifting in breezes,/ Rolling in starshine/ And dancing in treeses." From its anticipatory opening query ("Have you ever wondered/ Where animals go,/ At night when the light/ Of the moon is aglow?") the excitement gradually mounts, as myriad assorted species can be seen converging from great distances on the eponymous rink-"It's open all night!" Through shadowy forests and across moonlit rivers the animals trek, finally skating by the glow of Christmas tree lights in a rush of color and movement. Pilkey's generally dark-toned illustrations, both impressionistic and primitive, resemble his work in When Cats Dream. Here, giant moons in changing hues illumine several spreads (the final page, in fact, makes a nod to Spielberg's E.T.), filling the book with all the mystery and magic of the night. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?If you've ever wondered "Where animals go,/At night when the light/Of the moon is aglow," here is one imaginative possibility. Zoo creatures escape from their cages, farm animals creep past sleeping towns, and pets leave behind collars and leashes, as they all head for the Moonglow Roll-O-Rama. Surrounded by shadowy evergreens decorated with colorful lights, the animals put on their red "rollin' shoes" and skate around the shiny wooden rink. As the moon works its special magic, they fly up into the "star-riddled" sky to skate "celestial ballets." When the enchantment wears off at dawn, the tired beasts hurry back to their everyday lives, to sleep all day and dream of the Moonglow. The rhyming text has a fast-paced rhythm that moves the story along quickly, despite some awkward sounding pairings. The vibrant watercolor-and-pencil illustrations grab the imagination and set the tone. Deep shades of pink, blue, and green wrap the story in magic and mystery. The full moon glows and flickers in almost every spread: bubble-gum pink on the cover, peach against a red sky, and bright yellow over the roller rink. A beautifully colored moon, shrouded in dark green clouds, provides an enchanted backdrop for the animal silhouettes that skate across the sky. For a pair of magical bedtime tales, suggest this along with Nicki Weiss's Where Does the Brown Bear Go? (Greenwillow, 1989).?Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
