Possum's Harvest Moon

by Anne Hunter

Overview

When Possum wakes up one evening and sees the full harvest moon, he decides to throw one last party before the long winter. But everyone is too busy preparing for winter and it looks as if nobody will come to Possum's party.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780395918241
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/28/1998
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	527,343
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	400L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Anne Hunter grew up in South Florida and now lives with her family in the hills of rural Vermont where she can hear the crickets, who sing with the frogs, who listen to the distant hoot of an owl. Anne is known for watching the squirrels, listening to the insects and writing about the natural world around us. She has written and illustrated many children’s books, including Possum’s Harvest Moon, which reviewers described as "a sensational selection," with illustrations that are "beautifully rendered" and have "a hushed mystery." Visit Anne at annehunterstudio.com.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Hunter's enchanting debut combines bewitching illustrations and a magical story that celebrates the beauty of autumn." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

Editorial Reviews

"Hunter's enchanting debut combines bewitching illustrations and a magical story that celebrates the beauty of autumn." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review —

From the Publisher

A huge, yellow harvest moon puts Possum in a celebratory mood. But after he festoons the grass with lanterns and berries, his plans for an impromptu bash seem to be dashed when the usual nightlife crowd turns into party poopers. The crickets are all sung out from the long summer, and Raccoon is focused on getting in shape for winter ("So much to eat, so little time"). However, as the ripe golden moon rises higher, Possum's friends succumb to its spell and the meadow begins to hum and dance. Somewhat reminiscent of Fred Marcellino's work, debut author/artist Hunter's moonlit illustrations will entice bedtime readers. Echoing the texture of Possum's coarse, bristly hair, pen-and-ink scratchings animate the soft palette. A merry illumination of the moon-glowing, green-growing, bug-buzzing profusion of a seasonal last hurrah. Ages 3-8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-Gr 2One autumn evening, Possum looks up and sees the biggest, brightest harvest moon ever. He decides to have one last party before the long winter and invites all of his friends. But the mice, raccoon, crickets, and frogs are all busy getting ready for winter, and it looks as if no one will come. Possum sits by himself in the clearing until everyone realizes it is not a night or a moon to waste without dancing and feasting, and they all join the celebration. Appealing illustrations are done in watercolors and pen-and-ink with subdued autumn and night hues of green, brown, black, and orange. The pictures depict the creatures of the meadow in soft detail, enjoying the moonlight with tiny party hats perched on their heads. The book will be excellent for story times on what animals do during the winter, paired, for example, with Lydia Dabcovich's Sleepy Bear (Dutton, 1982), Leo Lionni's Frederick (Knopf, 1967), and Jack Kent's Round Robin (S & S, 1989). A sensational selection, regardless of the seasonJudith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

School Library Journal

Possum wakes up one autumn evening and sees the biggest moon ever—a moon that calls for a pre-hibernation celebration. Off he goes, looking for guests. But the mice are too busy storing food for the winter, the crickets too are tired after chirping all summer, the raccoon still has fish to eat before he can rest, the fireflies are silent. Possum celebrates alone. Then, as the moon rises higher in the sky, all of the other creatures fall under its spell; from all corners of the field, they hurry to Possum's place for a harvest soiree before "winter's long sleep."

Hunter's first book is a sturdy piece of work, with crisp writing that is full of scratchy alliterations ("Raccoon rousted his crony, Rabbit"). The watercolor illustrations, done in a dark, woodsy palette, are covered with cross-hatching that swells every object with dimensionality. The animals sit inside the page borders like toys inside a box; these diorama-like nighttime scenes, with a huge harvest moon hovering above the horizon, have a hushed mystery that enhances the charms of the text.

Kirkus Reviews