book review, children's, picture book

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin (Review)

Title: A Big Mooncake for Little Star
Authors: Grace Lin
Type: Fiction
Genre: Children’s Book, Picture Book
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group)
Date published: August 28, 2018

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin.

Pat, pat, pat…

Little Star’s soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake.

Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she’s not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can’t resist a nibble?

In this stunning picture book that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin creates a heartwarming original story that explains phases of the moon.

– My Review –

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This has got to have been the cutest and most creative way that the lunar phases have been explained to me maybe … ever! I didn’t really read the synopsis before diving into this book, so it was a very pleasant surprise for me to discover what it was that this book was trying to teach! And this is definitely a way that I’d want to explain the moon phases to my children when (I have them and) they’re very small! I would perhaps tell them that they should listen to their mother a little better than Little Star listens to hers!

Source: Amazon.com

The illustrations were not my favourite style-wise, but they were very sweet! And, I really liked that the pages in this book all have a black backdrop, because it makes the moon and stars stand out quite nicely! As you can see in the photo above, it also brings into emphasis things like the salt or sugar that Little Star is pouring into the mooncake mixture. This book also really made me crave some mooncake! The ones with duck egg in the centre are my favourite, and I’ll have to run to the store now to find some!

– About the Author –

 

Before Grace Lin was an award-winning and NY Times bestselling author/illustrator of picturebooks, early readers and middle grade novels, she was the only Asian girl (except for her sisters) going to her elementary school in Upstate NY. That experience, good and bad, has influenced her books—including her Newbery Honor WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, her Geisel Honor LING & TING, and her National Book Finalist WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER. But, it also causes Grace to persevere for diversity as a New England Public Radio commentator and when she gave her TEDx talk “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf,” as well as her PBSNewHour video essay “What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist?.” In 2016, Grace’s art was displayed at the White House and Grace, herself, was recognized by President Obama’s office as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling.

– Purchase Links –

amazon-canada chapters-indigo amazon-usa
amazon-uk book-depository amazon-australia

THANK YOU FOR READING MY BOOK REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

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