Monsters Are Afraid of the Moon (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS–Young Marie is afraid of the monsters that appear in her room each night. Her ingenious solution is to snip the moon out of the sky and keep it in her room since, as everyone knows, monsters are afraid of the light. Unfortunately, this idea causes havoc with the village cats, who demand their moon back. Luckily, the Cat King arrives at a solution that satisfies everyone's needs, but readers may not feel so rewarded. While the bold, colorful cartoon illustrations and the simple text are accessible and inviting, the story lacks logic. The notion of a city populated by anthropomorphic cats is charming but seems startling given that Marie is a human girl, and no further exposition is given. The ending will make readers smile but it feels like the conclusion of a folktale without an introduction. Overall, the story has many appealing points, but its structure and narrative feel patchy and incomplete. The book is brightened by Satrapi's illustrations, which are a vibrant treat. The use of eye-popping colors and nuanced expressions make the monsters just a little bit intimidating but not overly frightening.–Tamara E. Richman, Somerset County Library System, Bridgewater, NJ
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Product Description

Poor Marie! Every night as she climbed into bed, she got a visit from three monsters. They only came out in darkness, so she knew they must be afraid of the light. Marie took a huge pair of scissors, and cutting the moon out of the sky, hung it right in her bedroom. No darkness, no monsters!
Her plan worked perfectly, or so she thought . . . but without a moon in the sky, the village cats were in total darkness! They began bumping into everything, and winding up in the hospital. With no cats to chase them, the mice ran amuck. Finally the king found Marie: “You must return the moon to the sky!” he said. But Marie wouldn’t agree--not until she was sure those monsters were gone. How could the king make things right for everyone? A delightful tall tale for bedtime or anytime.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582347441
• ISBN-13: 978-1582347448
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #856,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great for newer readers, August 31, 2008

By	harold smith (Delmont, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I ordered this book for my daughter, who's five, after reading Satrapi's Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. The former I had to read for a campus reading program and found appreciation for the author's graphics and delivery.

My daughter really took to the book. The story was longer than most of the books she has been reading but for many nights in a row, she read the entire book on her own. There is more text on the pages than in "learning to read" type books but not so much that it is overwhelming. It's a good transition to other books like Library Lion.

The graphics are eye-catching and I appreciated how the story was a little more involved (you have to think about the point) than many books for children are, at least those I have encountered.

My daughter has expressed interest in more books like this - which, of course, I will indulge.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Children's Book from Marjane Satrapi, May 30, 2008

By	Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This book isn't as good as Marjane Satrapi's adult graphic novels are. The story doesn't quite jell and it doesn't quite make sense, but I think it is an earnest attempt at a children's book and my students will like it. My kids are learning English and I think the beginning readers will have a good experience reading the story. It is simple and direct.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kids love it!, June 30, 2007

By	Kevin A. Chavis (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I read this story, I found it humorous but a bit too silly. Kids seem to have a form of logic we adults can't always confront. This book makes more sense and is funnier to children than one would think.

The story is that Monsters are afraid of the moon. To ward off monsters under her bed, a girl steals the moon from the sky. This makes cats bump into things and so they send a cat to guard her at night to have the moon returned.

I love the illustrations, and my son of 4 likes the story. I have read this to other kids and they all enjoy it. It's appealing to them and a great addition if you like your kid's library to have unique additions!