The Man in the Moon (Guardians of Childhood) [Hardcover]

William Joyce (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 6, 2011 | Age Range: 4 and up | Series: Guardians of Childhood (Book 1) | Lexile Measure: 830L (What's this?)

Up there in the sky.

Don’t you see him?

No, not the moon.

The Man in the Moon.

He wasn’t always a man.

Nor was he always on the moon.

He was once a child.

Like you.

Until a battle,

a shooting star,

and a lost balloon

sent him on a quest.

Meet the very first guardian of childhood.

MiM, the Man in the Moon.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, September 2011: Twenty years in the making, William Joyce’s enchanting new picture book, The Man in the Moon, is worth the wait. In the first of his new Guardians of Childhood series, Joyce introduces the original guardian, MiM, the Man in the Moon. In glorious, colorful detail, readers are invited to imagine the Earth’s moon as a space age shipwreck, and the origin of bad dreams as the work of Pitch, King of the Nightmares. MiM’s fondest memories are of his devoted friend Nightlight, who sprinkled him with Dreamsand as an infant, and it is Nightlight who inspires MiM to become guardian to the hopes and dreams of all the children of Earth, but of course MiM will need help--from a toymaker, a fairy, a rabbit, and others like them. The Man in the Moon captures the wonder of childhood in a visual masterpiece that is to be treasured by readers of all ages. --Seira Wilson

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Illustrations from The Man in the Moon
(Click on Images to Enlarge)

Balloons lost on earth often floated up to the moon, carrying the hopes and dreams of the children who lost them.

“As a baby, the Man in the Moon had everything a child could need.”

The Guardians of Childhood

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Review

"A fabulous recapturing of an old, real fairytale world. Dark. Mysterious. Stunning! " --MAURICE SENDAK, Caldecott-winning creator of Where the Wild Things Are

"William Joyce, to put it simply, is a genius, and we are lucky to have another book from him. The Man in the Moon is filled with tenderness, love, and enchantment. It's an unforgettable story that will leave readers wanting more...and luckily there IS more, because The Man in the Moon is just the first in the Guardian's of Childhood series, which will, I predict, take their rightful places in the hearts of children everywhere." --BRIAN SELZNICK, author/illustrator of the Caldecott-winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret

"Each of William Joyce's books has been more beautifully painted, more magically imagined and more deliciously written than the one that came before. The Man in the Moon is the latest dazzling masterpiece, the one we Joyceans, young and old, have been pining for. It instantly became my children's favorite book." --MICHAEL CHABON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (September 6, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442430419
• ISBN-13: 978-1442430419
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations

More About the Author

A true luminary and creative spirit, William Joyce has put his personal stamp on children's media in every direction. His picture books include George Shrinks, Dinosaur Bob and Santa Calls; he's won three Emmy awards for his Rolie Polie Olie animated series; developed character concepts for Toy Story and A Bug's Life; and his films include Robots and Meet the Robinsons. He's currently co-directing The Guardians for DREAMWORKS, and is producing The Leaf Men, based on his picturebook. He lives in Shreveport, LA, and is the founder of Moonbot Studios.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have! September 15, 2011

By Mundie Moms/Mundie Kids

Format:Hardcover

What a fabulous, beautifully illustrated book that tells a unique story about the man in the moon. This is one of those books that reads like a movie you'd want to take your kids to see. I'm not sure what I was drawn more towards, the absolutely amazing artwork or the fantastic story.

Have you ever wondered who or what lived on the moon? William Joyce's debut The Man in The Moon not only introduces to the jolly man who lives there (nope I'm not talking Santa Claus), he'll also tell you how he got there. We're huge fans of the moon in our home, and I can say for certainty that next time we're looking up at the moon, we'll all be looking for the wonderful man in the moon, the guardian of children.

This book is a beautiful, creative story that will allow your children's imaginations to soar. I'm definitely not a kid, and this book appealed to my inner child. I thoroughly enjoyed being whisked away in this whimsical story. This is a book I'd highly recommend adding to your personal library collection or school libraries.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking September 27, 2011

By St. Louis Illini

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

We own hundreds of kid's books. This is hands down the most beautifully illustrated of them all. And what a very, very cool concept--the origin myth of the man on the moon? Awesome! This is a picture book, but it is very long and involved. Definitely for kiddos a little older. I bought this for my child, but honestly may just keep it for myself. It's amazing.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply wonderful September 15, 2011

By Ria J. Hall

Format:Hardcover

I just picked this book up today on a whim and I have to say it's one of the most wonderful bedtime books I have ever read for my boys. The artwork wowed Us and the story comes to life as each page is turned. If You have kids or not , You need this on your bookshelf.