The Moon Keeper

The night creatures have appointed Emile the new moon keeper, and it is a very important job. Emile climbs a ladder to meet the moon and realizes for the first time how beautiful and round it is. Emile keeps watch for several nights, shooing away a few clouds and fruit bats, but there isn’t a lot to do. He does find the moon nice to talk to. One evening, he notices that the moon is getting smaller. His neighbors notice, too, and Emile even calls his cousin to find out if the moon looks different in the jungle. It isn’t good news. The moon seems to be disappearing.

Written and illustrated by Zosienka, The Moon Keeper is a story about change and how scary it can be, especially for the youngest of readers. Emile must go on a journey. He doesn’t understand what is happening to the moon, but he knows that he doesn’t like it. Emile learns from a large green bird that things come and go. The darkness is only temporary, and the light of the moon eventually returns. Zosienka gives readers a gentle bedtime story with a new perspective on the moon, and her illustrations’ soft colors against a dark backdrop give the book a classic feel.