Review by Booklist Review
Feeling like the loneliest creature on Earth, a fluffy blue hedgehog named Re packs a suitcase of yarn to head for the moon. Accompanied by scientific particulars about lunar days and surface temperatures and illumined by flights of poetic metaphor, Re's journey ends at the moon's "tube of a nook," a tunnel deep within the Sea of Tranquility. In this luminous cavern, Re discovers Mi, a large-eared, golden-furred creature also seeking a refuge from loneliness. Each settles into a parallel tunnel--one knitting, one playing its blue cello--sharing a sweet routine of singing alone after exchanging greetings and occasionally sharing harmonies that bridge solitude. Jacoby's glowing, expressionist art layers soft pastels against black space, conjuring a dreamlike, radiant essence. Known for weaving science, philosophy, and poetry into her long-running chronicle of wonder, The Marginalian, Popova enlightens scientific fact with lyrical metaphor, grounded by a philosophical author's note. A poignant lullaby to loving solitude, this gentle fable opens space for considering what it feels like to love, to be alone, and to hold both at once.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A creature in search of "happy-alone" solitude--"that feeling which feels like hearing your own voice singing you back to yourself"--drives a perceptive, science-anchored story from Popova (The Snail with the Right Heart) and Jacoby (Everything Is Fine!). One midsummer day, a fuzzy blue hedgehog-like creature, Re, awakens "feeling like the loneliest creature on Earth" and travels via light beam to find "the coziest place on the moon, a perfect nook pitted deep into the Sea of Tranquility." Upon reaching the location--where "it is always the temperature of a spring afternoon"--Re is gratified to find a cave in which to feel happy-alone. Soon, a kindred spirit, fuzzy yellow Mi, is revealed, and the two agree to each separately occupy the cave's converging tunnels--occasionally calling to one another "across their two parallel tranquilities" and periodically harmonizing together. Alongside sometimes abstract text, inky, immersive scenes of the cuddly subjects have a velvety texture and an occasionally biolumi-nescent-esque glow. The creators' meditative, capacious portrayal of solitude reassures that there are many ways to be alone. An author's note concludes. Ages 5--8. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--4--At first glance, this book seems to be aimed at a younger audience, but quickly reveals itself to be a layered, contemplative tale suited for readers of all ages. Re, a blue creature resembling a hedgehog, feels like the loneliest being on Earth and sets off to find solace in the coziest place on the moon. Popova draws inspiration from real lunar lava tubes--underground tunnels with stable temperatures that contrast the moon's extreme surface climate--offering a compelling blend of science and imagination. Her prose is poetic and philosophical, more attuned to older readers than the whimsical illustrations might suggest. She writes about the beauty of solitude: being "happy-alone instead of lonely," and the quiet power of "solitude--that feeling that feels like hearing your own voice singing you back to yourself." Jacoby's watercolor illustrations complement the narrative with their soft palettes, visible brushstrokes, and delicate penciled textures. VERDICT A reflective social-emotional story that celebrates solitude and affirms that being alone does not mean being lonely. A thoughtful addition to collections exploring emotional intelligence and mindfulness.--Heidi Dechief
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An exploration of tranquility and solitude, glimpsed from a snug nook in the moon. Re, a blue, hedgehoglike critter, wakes on a July morning, feeling lonely. The only solution? To go to the coziest place on the moon, of course! At precisely 7:26 ("a pretty number, a pretty hour"), Re hops a beam of light and in a mere 1.255 seconds is there. Immediately Re begins searching for the perfect spot, but what's this? Someone's already there, and for the same reasons as Re. Now the two can live in parallel tunnels, coming together once in a while but only when they like. Popova takes exquisite care to clarify to young readers that being by oneself can be a positive, even healing, act ("that feeling which feels like hearing your own voice singing back to yourself"). Evocative language punctuates the book in unexpected ways--the author notes that the coziest place on the moon is "a tube of a nook, as deep as a skyscraper is tall." Backmatter explains that in 2022 NASA found tubes on the moon where the temperatures are around 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Jacoby's dreamlike art gives all characters an inner glow of their own, staving off the impenetrability of space in favor of light, warmth, and fuzz. A loving acknowledgment of the joys of being "happy-alone," told with care and delicious language.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
