THE MOON THIEF

A boy discovers who is taking pieces of the moon in Keck’s picture book.

A White-presenting boy is concerned when he notices the moon getting smaller. He believes that someone must be stealing pieces. He thinks, “The Thief is very clever. He only takes a sliver at a time” and imagines that the Moon Thief, a “pale-faced and shadow-eyed” man, carries the slivers in a “tall velvet hat” and takes them to the place where the shadows disappear. With his dog Luna in tow, the boy sets out to stop the perpetrator. The shadows direct him to the Shadowland, “a hilltop…only an arm’s reach to the hoarded moon.” There, the boy confronts the Moon Thief, who insists he is only borrowing the moon. He says, “Once your moon is nearly gone, I’ll bring it back, piece by piece.” The boy is relieved. He and Luna dance with the Moon Thief and the shadows under the moonlight. Back home, the boy peers out the window, noticing the shining crescent moon. He says, “I will see more of you tomorrow.” This clever story elicits an authentic sense of childlike wonder. Keck’s writing is spirited and rhythmic (“The shadows laugh and swoop and scoop me up! Saddling the shadowy wind, I’m crashing through the night air”). Barnett’s fantastic painted illustrations include swirly brush strokes and colorful, dreamy scenes, such as silhouettes offset by a lovely deep blue sky. They also include unique details like the shadows that have humanlike figures.

A beautifully illustrated, poetic nighttime tale.