  | Moon rabbit : a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival Author: Wong Nava, Eva | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Families and neighbors gather to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together. Soon Meifung and her family will join them, holding paper lanterns and moving like a gleeful parade of fireflies. But first, Meifung asks her mother to tell her, once more, the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival-the story of Chang'e and the moon rabbit. It is a tale of nine scorching suns, a brave archer, an ancient queen, an elixir of life, and a doomed love.
| Illustrator: | Chuang, Jason |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/25)
School Library Journal (06/01/25)
Booklist (00/08/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/06/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/01/2025 Gr 2–5—A young girl's desire to hear a story, despite already having heard it "a hundred times," frames this book's retelling of the story of Chang'e the Moon Goddess, a well-known figure in Chinese mythology. Readers are immersed into the world of Chang'e and her husband, Houyi, during a time when the "earth was as hot as an erupting volcano." The beauty of Chang'e and her curiosity were matched only by the depth of love Houyi had for her. As the tale unfolds, an ever-present rabbit moves through the world with Chang'e, and the explanation behind the traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is its biggest and brightest, are brought to life. This beautiful book melds a clearly written tale with intricate digital illustrations that mimic traditional Chinese paintings, scrolls, and stamp art. It would make a great entry point into mythology units, and a terrific read-aloud. VERDICT A beautiful, necessary addition to collections.—Danielle Schwessinger - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Other - 08/11/2025 On the night of the mid-autumn festival, young Meifung asks under a glowing moon to again hear the story of Chang’e. As Mama lovingly obliges, contemporary domestic spreads morph into an ethereal realm filled with 10 blazing suns. When the suns set on the hot Earth, beautiful Chang’e dreams of living on the cool moon like a rabbit hopping in the shade. Spurred by enduring love, her husband, Lord Archer Houyi, shoots down all the suns but one, resulting in an exchange that leads to the couple’s undoing. At story’s end, Meifung takes part in a traditional lantern parade in which participants send "hopes and wishes" moonward-where Chang’e now resides. Paired with luminous blossom- and cloud-woven illustrations by Chuang, Wong Nava uses a nested telling to limn this classic-feeling work of Earth and sky. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. More about the festival concludes. Ages 3-7. (Aug.) - Copyright 2025
