Ladder to the Moon

by Maya Soetoro-Ng, Yuyi Morales (Illustrator)

Overview

“A lush, haunting story that brings together a grandmother and her grandchild. . . . Soetoro-Ng, maternal half-sister of Barack Obama, has written this story of compassion as a tribute to their mother." —Booklist (starred review)

Little Suhaila wishes she could have known her grandma, who would wrap her arms around the whole world if she could, Mama says. And one night, Suhaila gets her wish when a golden ladder appears at her window and Grandma Annie invites the girl to go along with her on a magical journey. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Yuyi Morales’s dreamlike tale reminds us that loved ones lost are always with us, and that sometimes we need only look at the moon and remember.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763693435
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	06/13/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	AD690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

 

Editorial Reviews

A vision of divine love, a love incarnated in a warm, round, brown-skinned grandmother....Nontraditional spiritual literature for children often falters in the execution; this work fulfills its promise
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A lush, haunting story that brings together a grandmother and her grandchild.…Morales captures the luminosity of both the sky and the people on earth striving and straining to make the world a better place. The endnotes by author and artist add insight into a book meant to be discussed
—Booklist (starred review)

Creation stories, mythology, and legends come together in a story incorporating themes of human struggle, community, and faith. Morales’ stunning digitally manipulated acrylic drawings, showcasing strong yet loving women, have a dream-like quality and do an outstanding job of depicting a caring, culturally diverse world.
—Library Media Connection (starred review)

Beautiful, luminous paintings, with soft edges and gently rounded figures
—Kirkus Reveiws

From a place of bittersweet longing, Maya Soetoro-Ng writes an introspective children’s book that inspires all ages. What we find in Ladder to the Moon are epic images and inescapable stories that connect us through inevitable loss and spiritual understanding.
—Honolulu Weekly

From the Publisher

It's hard to imagine the child for whom this intentionally inspiring mystical fable will strike a chord. Idealistic adults, on the other hand, will love it. They'll see it as an opportunity to foster compassion and tolerance, to introduce the idea of feeling connected to family members who've passed away and to share Morales' lovely, folk-art–style illustrations. All of which are worthy goals. Unfortunately, debut author Soetoro-Ng's lengthy, abstract text seems destined to lose the interest of young listeners, preventing any of these aims from being achieved. Occasionally awkward phrasing ("her silver-bangled arms outstretched and tinkling") is distracting, though there are also some appealing images ("she tossed herself out of bed like a tumbleweed"). Still, children are more likely to spend their time wondering why (and how) the moon sings than following the meandering plot as Suhaila and her grandmother Annie magically travel to the moon and then share their sanctuary with those in need. Morales' beautiful, luminous paintings, with soft edges and gently rounded figures, go a long way toward making the sentimental story almost work as an imaginative adventure. Double-page spreads with lots of celestial blue provide plenty to pore over, while the textures visible in her paintings are likewise pleasing. Ultimately, though, the artwork isn't enough o prevent this achingly earnest and heartfelt effort from sinking under its own weight. Disappointing. (author's, illustrator's notes)(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews