THE CIRCLES IN THE SKY

by Karl James Mountford ; illustrated by Karl James Mountford ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 27, 2022

The twin desires to mourn and to comfort imbue a simple fable played out by a woodland cast.

Though Fox is eager for rest after a long night of hunting, his curiosity is piqued when he hears the birds singing a strange new song. He follows them to a dead bird in a field. Fox’s confusion attracts the attention of Moth, who finds it difficult to explain what has happened to the bird. Instead, Moth tells Fox how the moon reflects the sun’s rays, even long after the sun has gone. Fox struggles to understand until Moth explains that the bird is dead. “I was trying to be kind,” Moth tells Fox. “Sad things are hard to hear. They are pretty hard to say, too. They should be told in little pieces.” As Fox grapples with the newfound realization, Moth offers solace if not the explanation he was seeking. Mountford does dual duty in giving voice to both the confusion that comes with death and a template on how to be there for those in pain. Tonally, the book never turns precious, the storytelling clear, concise, and sympathetic. All this is wonderfully accompanied by digital art resembling woodcuts and lithographs, the black of the fox, the birds, and the moth contrasting keenly with the colors of the natural world surrounding them. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Speaking to heart and eye in equal measures, a beautiful treatise on remembering life and helping those left behind. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5362-2498-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Candlewick Studio

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES