What Parents Should Know
High-flying adventure, coupled with bold illustrations,
keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Vibrant collages
reflect the limitless possibilities of a child's
imagination.
Common Sense Media Review
REGARDS TO THE MAN IN THE MOON returns to one of Keats's
favorite themes; saluting a child's ingenuity. His previous
works, such as
Hi, Cat! and
Goggles, also highlight children's ability to suspend
reality and submerge themselves into their imaginations. In
this book, Keats expands on this concept, encouraging readers
to utilize their own imaginations.
The artwork consists of full-color, full-page illustrations that are part paintings and part cut paper. The collages of outer space are fascinating, with whorls of sparkling colors breaking up the inky blackness.
Loyal Keats fans will enjoy the visual puns included in the illustrations. One picture shows a silhouette that looks remarkably like his popular character, Peter. In the final spread there is a picture of Peter's faithful dog, Willie, and the little black cat from Hi, Cat.
Children unfamiliar with Keats's previous book, Louie's Search, won't understand the references to Louie's "new" father or the man's occupation, which is never explained in this book. Also, why Figgie and Ruthie have become attached to Louie and Susie's craft is unclear. Yet these small inconsistencies do not detract from a child's enjoyment of the text.
Dana Meachen Rau's A Box Can Be Many Things features the myriad uses two children think up for a large cardboard carton destined for the garbage truck. Dr. Seuss's classic And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street is the granddaddy of all imagination tales.
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