From Publishers Weekly
Eclipsed by his perfect cousin Herbert, Bernie languishes at family gatherings until Uncle Louie takes him under his wing, offering trumpet lessons. After a rocky start ("the notes squawked and screeched, and the pigeons flew off the windowsill"), Bernie perseveres, but he still can't play "the most beautiful song in the world" ("Moonlight Over Manhattan"), nor does he approach the virtuosity of Uncle Louie, who floats above his Brooklyn rooftop from the sheer glory of the song's sound. Eventually, it's Bernie who saves the day at Cousin Hannah's wedding when Herbert wreaks havoc at the head table. Bernie's command performance of "Moonlight Over Manhattan" at this crucial juncture levitates the entire wedding party, all of whom sail off happily into the night, circling the Chrysler and Empire State buildings before landing safely in Brooklyn. A thoroughly likable fantasy, Karlins's (Mendel's Ladder) tale hums merrily along to the accompaniment of first-time picture book artist Davis's sleekly stylized illustrations. Droll caricatures cavort against a glorious Big Band-era backdrop, the straight-out-of-central-casting wardrobe taking in stubby ties and two-tone shoes for men with toothy grins, and for the women cat's-eye glasses and swooping coiffures. Davis's interpretation of the night-flight sequence, with the relatives soaring through a star-spangled cobalt sky and the boy and his horn silhouetted against the moon, is particularly inspired. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2?Bernie lives in the shadow of his all-too-perfect cousin Herbert. During a family gathering, the boy escapes to his Brooklyn roof with Uncle Louis, a world famous musician, who plays him the "most beautiful song in the world," "Moonlight Over Manhattan." From then on Bernie practices the trumpet, and a year later he's good enough to play with Louis's band at Cousin Hannah's wedding. Now it's Herbert's turn to be jealous. Magically, the rivalry is resolved and the music wins out. The joy of the song and the purity of sound cause the musicians, and then the whole wedding party, to rise high in the air and soar joyfully through the night sky. As the moon rises over Manhattan, so do they. It's a corny moment in an otherwise original tale that ends with them all dancing in the streets of Brooklyn as flowers, oranges, and bananas rain down from the sky. The story is overwhelmed by the broad, busy pastel illustrations. The cartoon characters all have cheesy, exaggerated facial features, especially large, elongated noses, and big pearly white smiles. Both Herbert and Bernie look like miniature adults in suits, making for an unsettling, rather than uplifting, experience. While readers may identify with the two boys' feelings of resentment, they'll be hard-pressed to garner much excitement over a book about a schmaltzy old song.?Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
