Moonlight: The Halloween Cat

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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know this is a comforting, not creepy, Halloween book for very young children. There are no ghosts, goblins, or things that go bump in the night. In the eyes of Moonlight the cat, jack o’lanterns wear friendly smiles, scarecrows offer laps to sit in, and trick-or-treaters and nocturnal animals offer plenty for her to watch and enjoy.
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Perfect for 2 and over
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What's the Story?
Moonlight the cat happily explores her rural neighborhood on her favorite night of the year. She’s a quiet presence, observing and enjoying trick-or-treaters, glowing pumpkins, nighttime animals, and the stars overhead.
Is It Any Good?
Cynthia Rylant and Melissa Sweet take the mystery cloaking Halloween night and pad it warmly in this atmospheric book, a re-release of the hardcover edition published in 2003. They evoke quiet and stillness as Moonlight wanders through the night, savoring the sights. Rylant’s gentle prose encourages children to see the nighttime world with curiosity rather than fear.
Sweet’s illustrations, done in acrylic and colored pencil, are saturated with deep color. Each page brings a new perspective and just enough detail to enchant preschoolers. There are shadows in this Halloween night, but always there’s the warm, inviting glow from windows and jack o’lanterns.
Vibrant artwork depicts a magical night.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about perspective. This book looks at Halloween through a cat’s eyes. How do you think a dog or an owl might view the holiday?
What do you enjoy about nighttime?
What do you like about Halloween?
Book Details
- Author: Cynthia Rylant
- Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
- Genre: Holiday
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperTrophy
- Publication date: July 28, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 2 - 5
- Number of pages: 32
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love Halloween
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