Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Tundra Books (2017), 40 pages
Description
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.
User reviews
LibraryThing member pmarshall
# 164. [When the Moon Comes], [[Paul Harbridge]]
Stephen Leacock wrote "In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, an affirmation that despite the deadly chill of winter we are alive."
The beaver spill freezes perfectly in early December without a ripple in the
Beautiful illustrations using darkness and colour, add depth to the words. You can see the weariness in the geese flying to escape the cold, the excitement of the skaters gathered around the fire, the plowing of the playful, light snow, the exhaustion as they curl up under their bedclothes at the end of the night.
Harbridge and James make an excellent team. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book!
Reviewed for Early Reviewers 2017.
Stephen Leacock wrote "In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, an affirmation that despite the deadly chill of winter we are alive."
The beaver spill freezes perfectly in early December without a ripple in the
Show More
ice, smooth and perfect. What holds the children back is waiting for the full moon, which arrives with the first snow.Beautiful illustrations using darkness and colour, add depth to the words. You can see the weariness in the geese flying to escape the cold, the excitement of the skaters gathered around the fire, the plowing of the playful, light snow, the exhaustion as they curl up under their bedclothes at the end of the night.
Harbridge and James make an excellent team. This is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book!
Reviewed for Early Reviewers 2017.
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LibraryThing member VictoriaBrodersen
Every aspect of this delightful memory is entrawling. The narrator is not the child in charge of the adventure, making it feel as if you the reader really could become the narrator and participate yourself. The dustcover, cover and pages teem with gorgeous image after image to tantalize the eye of
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any parent made to read this darling tale over and over again. This would be an excellent book for any family that reads together, encourages independence and adventure in their children in the form of responsible fun as a team. After the first reading I struggled to think of a child (and family) in my life that I did not think would adore this book which features both an appropriate length and setting to support a short, softly spoke bedtime story. A great way to end any night! Show Less
LibraryThing member dallenbaugh
Good for children in cold cold climes or for children who would like to imagine living where you might look forward to winter. Imaginative illustrations take you to the frozen beaver pond and let you feel the cold, and also the joy of a perfect night.
LibraryThing member delan
Title: WHEN THE MOON COMES
Author: Paul Harbridge
Illustrator: Matt James
Publisher: tundra – Random House Canada
Review by Bob Lane
Confession: I am no expert on children’s literature. As a father, grandfather, and great grandfather I have always bowed to the “expertise” of the audience. If the
This book is a “read it again” book based on some empirical research! Two greats thought it worthy of a “read it again” stamp of approval.
First, it tells a compelling story. A story set in Canada about snowy landscapes, frozen ponds, and kids playing hockey. Cover blurb: “The beaver flood has finally frozen – perfect ice, without a bump or a ripple. The kids in town 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 – the perfect ice, waiting. And the game is on.”
Paul Harbridge is an award winning short story writer (he works as a speech-language pathologist for adults with developmental disabilities) and he knows how to tell a story. Matt James is a painter, illustrator and musician. His illustrations are, in a word, beautiful. They are perfect at complementing the words of the story and drawing the audience into that wonderful world of make-believe that children of all ages enjoy.
Together words and pictures tell the story of some small-town Canadian kids who have been waiting for the perfect time to hike out to the beaver flood, clear the snow, and start the game. The time has come! The full moon lights the night and off they go.
Simple, engaging, and worthy of the “read it again” stamp of approval.
Author: Paul Harbridge
Illustrator: Matt James
Publisher: tundra – Random House Canada
Review by Bob Lane
Confession: I am no expert on children’s literature. As a father, grandfather, and great grandfather I have always bowed to the “expertise” of the audience. If the
Show More
child is saying “read it again” you have a good indication that the book is a winner. Often books that I have chosen, thinking they would be great hits with the kids turned out to be boring, receiving no “read it again” requests.This book is a “read it again” book based on some empirical research! Two greats thought it worthy of a “read it again” stamp of approval.
First, it tells a compelling story. A story set in Canada about snowy landscapes, frozen ponds, and kids playing hockey. Cover blurb: “The beaver flood has finally frozen – perfect ice, without a bump or a ripple. The kids in town 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 – the perfect ice, waiting. And the game is on.”
Paul Harbridge is an award winning short story writer (he works as a speech-language pathologist for adults with developmental disabilities) and he knows how to tell a story. Matt James is a painter, illustrator and musician. His illustrations are, in a word, beautiful. They are perfect at complementing the words of the story and drawing the audience into that wonderful world of make-believe that children of all ages enjoy.
Together words and pictures tell the story of some small-town Canadian kids who have been waiting for the perfect time to hike out to the beaver flood, clear the snow, and start the game. The time has come! The full moon lights the night and off they go.
Simple, engaging, and worthy of the “read it again” stamp of approval.
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LibraryThing member antmusic
Beautiful (and yet child-like) art! This book is perfect for a child that loves the snow and ice hockey. I can see that a child that loves snowy adventures would go absolutely gaga for this book. There's a touch of danger and fear in it (nothing extreme at all)... mostly of the dark and what it
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holds (but that part is brief). The beauty of what happens "when the moon comes out" is awesome. I'm very glad I got this as a part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Show Less
LibraryThing member gabriel
This pleasant story about children playing hockey harkens back to a better past - when children weren't always under adult supervision. It is a simple story, nicely told, though the story has an odd lack of characterization. The author wants the child reader not to see a story about other children,
The illustrations are evocative and well-coloured, but often appear a little too immature, rough and amateurish. If the illustrator had attempted to use a more mature form, the original images would have had a greater impact.
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but an imagining of himself.The illustrations are evocative and well-coloured, but often appear a little too immature, rough and amateurish. If the illustrator had attempted to use a more mature form, the original images would have had a greater impact.
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LibraryThing member HannahJo
A beautifully evocative, distinctly Canadian wintery book! A group of children wait in expectaion for a night cold enough for their pond to freeze over for a hockey game. The poetic words are lovely at capturing the magic of the night, with all the senses tingling and the moon and all of nature
The illustrations were perhaps a touch rough for my taste, but the blue and black tones were very effective at capturing the spirit of the night. I liked the thoughtful little touches such as the icy pufffs of breath as a child breathed out.
A lovely seasonal book that brings a sense of nostalgia.
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joining the fun. I appreciated how the author does not dumb down the language, peppering the text with interesting vocabulary such as "beaver flood".The illustrations were perhaps a touch rough for my taste, but the blue and black tones were very effective at capturing the spirit of the night. I liked the thoughtful little touches such as the icy pufffs of breath as a child breathed out.
A lovely seasonal book that brings a sense of nostalgia.
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LibraryThing member Robyn126
The wonderment of a child’s anticipation creates the magic of this story. As winter approaches the cold weather shifts their thoughts toward the freezing of the lake the joy they will have gliding its surface playing hockey. The maturity of the children's’ preparations of the grounds is
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juxtaposed with their childlike ability to take in the full wonderment of the night spent under the moon. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kellswitch
Children wait for just the right moment to go skating by moonlight.
I have to get this out of the way, it has nothing to do with the quality of the book but as a former early childhood educator I cannot endorse letting children go hiking at night to skate on untested ice. I could not get through
Moving on to the book itself, I am mostly going to be reviewing this based on how it affected me. It took me longer than I thought it would, and several readings, to figure out what I thought of this book. At first, I found the art to simplistic for my usual taste and the story didn't really resonate but with each reading, I found the art more and more interesting and I feel that it's simpler, more rustic appearance gives the book a magical and timeless feeling. This could have been from the '50's, the '70's, possibly even today. I also grew to appreciate the story and it's rhythms, it's sense of wonder at nature and the magic of ritual. Parts of the book actually gave me the shivers when the magic fully hit me.
I could see myself reading this book to preschool or older children, figuring out the rhythm and when and where I would put inflections and emphasis, or even whispers when reading out loud. And I find myself wondering how this would ping the imagination of children today who don't have access to backyard wildernesses or outdoor skating.
I started out hesitant about this book but have found myself enraptured and in love with it. It gave me a sense of nostalgia for a way of life I've never known, and a sense of magic that can only come with wilderness and moonlight and times away from the eyes of adults.
I have to get this out of the way, it has nothing to do with the quality of the book but as a former early childhood educator I cannot endorse letting children go hiking at night to skate on untested ice. I could not get through
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that during the first read through.Moving on to the book itself, I am mostly going to be reviewing this based on how it affected me. It took me longer than I thought it would, and several readings, to figure out what I thought of this book. At first, I found the art to simplistic for my usual taste and the story didn't really resonate but with each reading, I found the art more and more interesting and I feel that it's simpler, more rustic appearance gives the book a magical and timeless feeling. This could have been from the '50's, the '70's, possibly even today. I also grew to appreciate the story and it's rhythms, it's sense of wonder at nature and the magic of ritual. Parts of the book actually gave me the shivers when the magic fully hit me.
I could see myself reading this book to preschool or older children, figuring out the rhythm and when and where I would put inflections and emphasis, or even whispers when reading out loud. And I find myself wondering how this would ping the imagination of children today who don't have access to backyard wildernesses or outdoor skating.
I started out hesitant about this book but have found myself enraptured and in love with it. It gave me a sense of nostalgia for a way of life I've never known, and a sense of magic that can only come with wilderness and moonlight and times away from the eyes of adults.
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LibraryThing member StephLamb
When The Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge,
illustrated by Matt James and published by Tundra Books
If you are someone or have someone on your list who remembers cold nights waiting for the lake/pond to freeze to lace up the skates then run to pick up this stunning picture book. The story takes me back to
The illustrations by Matt James are so incredible. I was 100% taken in by the illustrations and bought the book before even reading it. I knew I needed to have something this beautiful on my bookshelf. All the artwork is worthy of a place on your wall and if you can get your hands on some of his work, do it!
illustrated by Matt James and published by Tundra Books
If you are someone or have someone on your list who remembers cold nights waiting for the lake/pond to freeze to lace up the skates then run to pick up this stunning picture book. The story takes me back to
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my childhood and New Year's family hockey games on the Mighty Pike. Back in a time when the lake would actually be frozen over the holidays we could spend hours out on the ice. This story will take you back in time or help you create new memories of freedom and winter fun. It's a great reminder of the joys of living in a place that experiences the beauty of the freshly frozen ice under the full moon. The illustrations by Matt James are so incredible. I was 100% taken in by the illustrations and bought the book before even reading it. I knew I needed to have something this beautiful on my bookshelf. All the artwork is worthy of a place on your wall and if you can get your hands on some of his work, do it!
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
The young narrator of this lovely Canadian picture-book from author Paul Harbridge and illustrator Matt James waits for the full moon, when the local beaver flood will be ready for a game of ice hockey. The magic of the evening-time trip to the flood with his friends, the icy pleasure of their
I found When the Moon Comes a beautiful, quietly contemplative exploration of the winter-time experiences of one boy and his community. The importance of ice hockey to the local children is apparent, as is the camaraderie it creates. The artwork, done in acrylic paint and ink on boards, captures the chilly beauty of the countryside in winter. The final images, of the boy lying in bed, feeling the moon call to him, summoning him back to the beaver flood, are just magical. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about ice hockey, or about children out and about in the winter nighttime.
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game, and the enchanted beauty of the wintry world around them, are all captured in text and art...I found When the Moon Comes a beautiful, quietly contemplative exploration of the winter-time experiences of one boy and his community. The importance of ice hockey to the local children is apparent, as is the camaraderie it creates. The artwork, done in acrylic paint and ink on boards, captures the chilly beauty of the countryside in winter. The final images, of the boy lying in bed, feeling the moon call to him, summoning him back to the beaver flood, are just magical. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about ice hockey, or about children out and about in the winter nighttime.
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LibraryThing member palaephata
The whimsy of this book is really dazzling. The plot is simple: a group of children slip outside (they send one of their number back for warmer clothes) to play ice hockey in the moonlight. There is no tension; instead, this is a descriptive, vivid story of a fantastic night out. I especially loved
I agree with some of the other posters' comments about not letting children go out at night. This is a conversation one would want to have with a young child to whom you read the book. On the other hand, I don't think this is actually a book just for children--I would happily give this book to an adult who had fond memories of snow, ice, and adventure.
In short, this is beautiful, and I would highly recommend it.
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the enormous, dark images of nighttime and the balance between these images and the descriptions of nature. I agree with some of the other posters' comments about not letting children go out at night. This is a conversation one would want to have with a young child to whom you read the book. On the other hand, I don't think this is actually a book just for children--I would happily give this book to an adult who had fond memories of snow, ice, and adventure.
In short, this is beautiful, and I would highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
This is a gorgeous picture book that spoke to me of days past. It is November and the children are waiting to go skating and play hockey on the Beaver flood. They need to wait for the full moon and it finally comes. They must trudge through the snow to get to their "perfect ice". They have a great
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time on the outdoor ice, with frozen pants, red cheeks and stiff hair. It brings back memories of skating on the outdoor rinks that have almost disappeared today. The illustrations are perfect for this story. This could be used as a mentor text in a class where you are teaching about predictions, drawing conclusions or comparing. A book that could also be used in a visual arts class when teaching various artistic styles. A great book for a school or class library. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. Show Less
LibraryThing member melodyreads
I feel like I have been to Canada, and played ice hockey on a beaver pond, in the cold, dark days of winter.
Beautifully done!!
Beautifully done!!
Awards
Chickadee Award (Nominee — 2019)
USBBY Outstanding International Book (Grades 3-5 — 2018)
Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award (Winner — 2018)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (Finalist — 2018)
Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award (Honour — 2017)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
40 p.; 8.31 inches
ISBN
1101917776 / 9781101917770