Coyote Sings to the Moon

An old woman and her animals gather every night to serenade the moon. Coyote wants to join them, but his voice is so bad that the others are sure he’ll scare the moon away. Offended, Coyote wonders, “Who needs the moon, anyway?” Moon is listening, and she knows just the solution for a cheeky Coyote. Unfortunately, Coyote’s friends must pay the price, too!

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Despite his terrible singing voice, Coyote is offended when Old Woman doesn't invite him to join in and serenade Moon. His response is to insult Moon, driving her deep into a pond and plunging the world into darkness. A plot is hatched to try to bring her back, with Coyote's singing taking center stage. This story is far too long to be read aloud, and only determined independent readers will get through the stilted dialogue. The illustrations are beautifully rendered in smoky grays and browns that perfectly reflect the nighttime setting. Translucent brush strokes and lines give the images the distinctive look and feel of Japanese paintings. Coyote's sauciness and the moon's haughtiness are elegantly captured. The illustrations, however, cannot overcome the weaknesses of the plot. For a stunning telling of a moon folktale, try Margaret Hodges's Buried Moon (Little, Brown, 1990; o.p.).-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

King is a writer, performer, photographer, and teacher.

Award-winning author Claire Mackay has published many critically acclaimed and popular historical books for young people, including titles in the "Horrible Canadian Histories" series (Scholastic, 2001). Her many awards include the Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work and the Ruth Schwartz Award for Best Children's Book. Her ancestors arrived in the Toronto area in 1791 and played a part in significant events such as the War of 1812.

Johnny Wales created the enchanting illustrations of old and new Toronto. His bird's-eye view of the famous Church and Front intersection, captured at eight different historic periods, tells its own story of the growth of the city. He is descended from Philip Eckardt, who arrived in the Toronto area in 1792 and went on to build the first parliament buildings.