In this atmospheric story, a group of kids play hockey on a frozen lake by moonlight. At once nostalgic and timely, this is a gorgeous book that will speak to readers young and old.
The beaver flood has finally frozen--perfect ice, without a bump or a ripple. For the kids in town, it's Christmas in November. They wait, impatiently, for the right moment.
Finally, it arrives: the full moon.
They huff and puff through logging trails, farms, back roads and tamarack swamps, the powdery snow soaking pant legs and boots, till they see it--their perfect ice, waiting.
And the game is on.
When the moon Comes is steeped in tradition and nostalgia: for hockey, for childhood, for a simpler time. The beauty of the text is matched by the brilliant, rich illustrations that wonderfully capture the magic of a moonlit night in winter.
WINNER
| 2018 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
NOMINEE
| 2019 The Maine Children’s Choice Picture Book Award
SELECTION
| 2018 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
AWARD
| 2018 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
SHORTLIST
| 2018 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
WINNER of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award (2018) A TD Children's Literature Award Finalist (2018) A Governor General's Literary Award Finalist (2017) A Quill & Quire Best Kids' Book of the Year, Booksellers' Pick (2017) One of CCBC’S Best Books for Kids & Teens (2018)
"The illustrations, with their burnished waning light, and the clipped-short narrative combine to create an atmosphere that for anyone who has experienced it will feel pitch-perfect." --STARRED REVIEW, KirkusReviews
"Harbridge uses language to create a space where magic happens, providing an opportunity for extraordinary things to occur in an ordinary world... An exquisite selection for older elementary readers." --STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal "[A] luminous story of friendship and full-moon magic… Artist Matt James creates a winter wonderland in breathtaking illustrations that have texture and a sense of mystery. This one-of-a-kind moonlit adventure is sure to capture young imaginations." --Bookpage
"4/4… Harbridge takes the reader on a little journey to the pond along with the children from the community… We enjoy the game along with the children and feel and see all that they do thanks to the descriptive writing… Matt James' rich illustrations strengthen the story as, through his use of colour, they help us to imagine the depth of the cold… Serve with a cup of hot chocolate… Highly recommended." --CM Magazine
MATT JAMES has won many awards for his picture books such as the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, the New Mexico Book Award and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children's Literature. The books he has written include Tadpoles; Nice Try, Charlie!; and his author-illustrator debut The Funeral, which was named a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book. He also illustrated When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge; The Stone Thrower by Jael Ealey Richardson; and I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf by Danielle Daniel.
View titles by Matt James
In this atmospheric story, a group of kids play hockey on a frozen lake by moonlight. At once nostalgic and timely, this is a gorgeous book that will speak to readers young and old.
The beaver flood has finally frozen--perfect ice, without a bump or a ripple. For the kids in town, it's Christmas in November. They wait, impatiently, for the right moment.
Finally, it arrives: the full moon.
They huff and puff through logging trails, farms, back roads and tamarack swamps, the powdery snow soaking pant legs and boots, till they see it--their perfect ice, waiting.
And the game is on.
When the moon Comes is steeped in tradition and nostalgia: for hockey, for childhood, for a simpler time. The beauty of the text is matched by the brilliant, rich illustrations that wonderfully capture the magic of a moonlit night in winter.
Awards
WINNER
| 2018 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
NOMINEE
| 2019 The Maine Children’s Choice Picture Book Award
SELECTION
| 2018 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
AWARD
| 2018 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
SHORTLIST
| 2018 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
WINNER of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award (2018) A TD Children's Literature Award Finalist (2018) A Governor General's Literary Award Finalist (2017) A Quill & Quire Best Kids' Book of the Year, Booksellers' Pick (2017) One of CCBC’S Best Books for Kids & Teens (2018)
"The illustrations, with their burnished waning light, and the clipped-short narrative combine to create an atmosphere that for anyone who has experienced it will feel pitch-perfect." --STARRED REVIEW, KirkusReviews
"Harbridge uses language to create a space where magic happens, providing an opportunity for extraordinary things to occur in an ordinary world... An exquisite selection for older elementary readers." --STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal "[A] luminous story of friendship and full-moon magic… Artist Matt James creates a winter wonderland in breathtaking illustrations that have texture and a sense of mystery. This one-of-a-kind moonlit adventure is sure to capture young imaginations." --Bookpage
"4/4… Harbridge takes the reader on a little journey to the pond along with the children from the community… We enjoy the game along with the children and feel and see all that they do thanks to the descriptive writing… Matt James' rich illustrations strengthen the story as, through his use of colour, they help us to imagine the depth of the cold… Serve with a cup of hot chocolate… Highly recommended." --CM Magazine
MATT JAMES has won many awards for his picture books such as the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, the New Mexico Book Award and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children's Literature. The books he has written include Tadpoles; Nice Try, Charlie!; and his author-illustrator debut The Funeral, which was named a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book. He also illustrated When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge; The Stone Thrower by Jael Ealey Richardson; and I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf by Danielle Daniel.
View titles by Matt James
