Official Review: Why is the moon following us?

CloudedRune · Post by **CloudedRune** » 17 Jun 2015, 09:00

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Why is the moon following us?" by María Escobedo Cubas.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Why is the Moon Following Us? is the debut book of the author and illustrator María Escobedo Cubas. The book was recreated and transformed from an interactive and educational app that was initially created for the author's university graduation project. As well as the English edition, versions of the book in German and Portuguese are also available.

The book follows Lucy, an inquisitive young girl, as she notices that the moon appears to be following her mother's car on their trip to her grandmother's house. Upon this discovery, she and her magical rabbit friend Lulo spend the journey try to find out why this could be.

Why is the Moon Following Us? is charming, engaging and altogether very suitable for a children's bedtime story. The narration is both straightforward and accessible — simple enough for young children to follow along with and/or to read independently without struggling, but also engaging enough to keep them entertained. The subject matter — the question in the book's title — will likely be appealing and enjoyable to children.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning. The art style resembles cut out paper of various designs, colours and textures. Though the style is consistent, every page has a unique design and layout. The character designs stand out against the backgrounds without overshadowing them — all of the backgrounds too are beautifully constructed, and complement the character designs and narration. As well as the aesthetics of the art style choice, a wonderful use of colour and texture is exhibited in the arrangement of each page throughout the book too.

The book's narrations and illustrations work together in harmony to create a wonderful story for young children – each complement each other very well. It is through their combined effect that the story altogether becomes a successful, enjoyable reading experience. The dedication and effort that the author has put into the project is very prominent and shines through in every page.

My only criticism is that I felt like the pacing of a few of the pages in the second half of the book was rather off and abrupt in places, which could potentially be briefly confusing to children reading the story independently. However, this is a really the only piece of criticism that I have about the book — the positives outweigh the negatives hugely.

I would definitely recommend this book to parents looking for an aesthetically appealing children's book with an enjoyable and endearing story. I give Why is the Moon Following Us? a solid 4 out of 4 stars.

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Why is the moon following us?
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Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 21 Jun 2015, 23:55

Nice review. I think the cover is adorable as well.

CloudedRune · Post by **CloudedRune** » 22 Jun 2015, 04:01

Rachaelamb1 wrote:Nice review. I think the cover is adorable as well.

Thank you! Me too, the cover and the art style is generally is absolutely lovely.

Post by **bookowlie** » 05 Jul 2015, 09:11

Nice, insightful review. Judging from the cover, the art work is gorgeous and unique. I love the fact that the idea for the book came from the author's educational app for a university project.

Levi · Post by **Levi** » 05 Jul 2015, 10:13

I love the idea of taking something natural like a child pretending the moon is following them, and then creating a unique and spellbinding tale from there. Interesting idea, highlighted by you. Great job

CloudedRune · Post by **CloudedRune** » 11 Jul 2015, 05:47

bookowlie wrote:Nice, insightful review. Judging from the cover, the art work is gorgeous and unique. I love the fact that the idea for the book came from the author's educational app for a university project.

Escapeartist wrote:I love the idea of taking something natural like a child pretending the moon is following them, and then creating a unique and spellbinding tale from there. Interesting idea, highlighted by you. Great job

Thank you both!

maryleebooks · Post by **maryleebooks** » 12 Jul 2015, 14:27

What fun illustrations! I like the cover.

-- 12 Jul 2015, 15:27 --

What fun illustrations! I like the cover.

Ramona · Post by **Ramona** » 31 Dec 2015, 15:02

I enjoyed reading your review! The book sounds like a wonderful read for an adult and child to snuggle up together and enjoy. The illustrations, as well as the story, sound like a fun experience!!

ashley_claire · Post by **ashley_claire** » 09 Mar 2016, 07:22

This is such a wonderful idea for a book considering that my 4 year old has asked me more than once why the moon was following us. I think she would love this. I'll definitely be checking this book out!