The Moon Rabbit A celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

On the night of the mid-autumn festival, young Meifung asks under a glowing moon to again hear the story of Chang'e. As Mama lovingly obliges, contemporary domestic spreads morph into an ethereal realm filled with 10 blazing suns. When the suns set on the hot Earth, beautiful Chang'e dreams of living on the cool moon like a rabbit hopping in the shade. Spurred by enduring love, her husband, Lord Archer Houyi, shoots down all the suns but one, resulting in an exchange that leads to the couple's undoing. At story's end, Meifung takes part in a traditional lantern parade in which participants send "hopes and wishes" moonward--where Chang'e now resides. Paired with luminous blossom- and cloud-woven illustrations by Chuang, Wong Nava uses a nested telling to limn this classic-feeling work of Earth and sky. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. More about the festival concludes. Ages 3--7. (Aug.)

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 2--5--A young girl's desire to hear a story, despite already having heard it "a hundred times," frames this book's retelling of the story of Chang'e the Moon Goddess, a well-known figure in Chinese mythology. Readers are immersed into the world of Chang'e and her husband, Houyi, during a time when the "earth was as hot as an erupting volcano." The beauty of Chang'e and her curiosity were matched only by the depth of love Houyi had for her. As the tale unfolds, an ever-present rabbit moves through the world with Chang'e, and the explanation behind the traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is its biggest and brightest, are brought to life. This beautiful book melds a clearly written tale with intricate digital illustrations that mimic traditional Chinese paintings, scrolls, and stamp art. It would make a great entry point into mythology units, and a terrific read-aloud. VERDICT A beautiful, necessary addition to collections.--Danielle Schwessinger

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A family shares the story of the Moon Goddess. On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a youngster named Meifung--apparently of Chinese descent--sees the shape of a rabbit in the moon and asks Mama to tell the story of Chang'e. Mama's told the tale hundreds of times before, but she happily obliges, describing how, long ago, when 10 suns blazed in the sky, a beautiful woman named Chang'e and an archer called Houyi fell in love. When Chang'e lamented the scorching heat, Houyi used his magical arrows to shoot down nine of the suns. The Earth was now a perfect temperature, and the Queen Mother of the West rewarded Houyi with a potion for long life. Unwilling to live forever without his beloved, Houyi hid the potion away, but one day, the curious Chang'e found it and, not knowing what would happen, drank it. She rose up into the sky until she was one with the moon. Gazing up, Houyi often saw his wife chasing a rabbit; people today say that the rabbit and Chang'e "became one and the same." They call her the Moon Goddess, blessing everyone from above. With this serenely told story complete, the modern-day family heads out to celebrate the holiday with lanterns that float up into the sky. Chuang's accompanying artwork is a colorful blend of traditional Chinese and modern styles, depicting lush and magical scenes befitting the grand legend. A handsome introduction to the Chinese Moon Festival's origins and celebrations. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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