Moon Song

School Library Journal

PreS-K-- Lush illustrations provide an overly imaginative interpretation of Meigs's poem, which originally appeared in Child Life in 1923. The poem is a lullaby concerning the moon man who flings his silver net over the sea, fishing for a variety of things. It has charming imagery and a contagious rhythm but Conover's illustrations become almost feverish at times. Placing the verses in a world of anthropomorphic cats, she depicts a young male journeying to imaginary places containing a living zodiac, an undersea palace, and dancing sharks. The symbols are so varied and based so fleetingly upon the original poem that the artist has added a two-page spread at the book's end explaining her busy renditions. The colors have been overapplied to such a saturation that the deep blues, greens, and violets flatten the excruciating details, and the characterization of the animals, sealife, and an occasional human jump uncomfortably between caricature and photorealism. Adults wallowing in some fantasy world may find these paintings interesting but as illustrations, they lack a defined focus and seem fairly presumptive. However charming this 67-year-old poem may be, Conover's interpretation further restricts its already limited appeal to children. --Denise Anton Wright, Library Book Selection Service, Inc., Bloomington, IL