One Round Moon and a Star for Me [Hardcover]

Ingrid Mennen (Author)

Book Description

A young African boy watches a shooting star falling for his Mama's new baby. The whole village comes together to provide gifts for mother and child. But when he sees his papa smiling at the baby's tiny hands which are just like Papa's own hands, his heart grows dark, like a night with no moon. At last he asks, "Papa, are you really my Papa too?" Set against the backdrop of a rural South African village, Mennen's lyrical text coupled with Daly's evocative illustrations are filled with light and darkness; friendship and community spirit; love and hope, telling the universal story of a young boy's journey to discover his own place in the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Atmospheric details particularize this affecting tale of a rural southern African boy whose mother has just given birth. The boy, narrating, begins with an expression of awe: "A falling star, Mama! Look how Papa catches it in his warm brown blanket. See how it slips into his silver milk bucket. 'A star for a new baby,' says Mama." After Papa proudly inspects the baby and announces, "I'm the baby's father," the older boy wonders, "Papa, are you really my papa too?" Papa reassures him, promising that another star will fall from the sky just for him. The use of native terms (a "tula-tula hush-hush song") and references to local practices (sticking two stalks of grass above the door to signify a birth; celebrating the new arrival by flooring the hut with fresh cow-dung) enhance this journey abroad. Daly's gently reverent pencil-and-watercolor illustrations reinforce Mennen's comforting depiction of a world where a boy might indeed catch a star in his palm, and where the special quality of each child is valued. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-In this story set in rural South Africa, a young boy whose mother is expecting a new baby sees a falling star. He follows the moon and the sun across the sky and watches and participates in the traditions surrounding a birth unfold: putting stalks of grass above the door to warn men not to enter until "the inkaba-cord falls from the baby's belly"; makoties (young girls) bringing water for the baby; relatives bringing useful gifts. Finally, Papa comes and kneels to look at the infant. "'I'm the baby's father,'" he says with a smile. Later that night, he reassures his worried older son that he's his father, too. The spare, almost poetic text conveys the warmth and delight the boy finds in his world and his home, as well as the feelings of jealousy and concern that a new sibling brings. The pencil and watercolor illustrations further draw readers into the child's world and point of view. The use of pencil lines and shading to add detail and definition to the soft watercolors is especially skillful. This is an example of a multicultural picture book at its best, combining the universal and the particular while not skimping on quality or emotion.
Stephen Del Vecchio, Family Academy, New York City
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Childrens Bks (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845070240
• ISBN-13: 978-1845070243
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars beautiful story, July 11, 2000

By 

Mvons (CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Round Moon and a Star for Me (Library Binding)

Beautifully illustrated story of a new born and a the brother's feelings. Gave my child a view into another country's customs when a baby is born. There is only a sentence per page for those children who have a hard time sitting still being read to.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I returned this book, September 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: One Round Moon and a Star for Me (Hardcover)

I bought this for my 2 1/2 yr old when she was becoming a big sister. I loved the illustrations in this book and I liked the African cultural themes. I wish the rest was as good. The child in this book worries that his dad is not his dad anymore after a new baby is born. The way the dad reassures the child is by pointing out that their hands look alike and the child's eyes look like mamas. My child has not expressed worries about whether we are still her parents and I don't want to bring up such a disturbing thought for her if it is not on her mind already. Also, as I look around me I see many families where parents and children have differently colored, textured, or shaped eyes, skin, or hair. I don't want to buy books that teach my child that having identical physical features is necessary to be a family.