Wild Honey from the Moon

In episodes divided into seven short chapters for newer readers, Kraegel (Green Pants) writes a classic quest story with a twist: it follows the parent, not the child. In winter, Mother Shrew's son Hugo contracts a mysterious illness ("His feet were hot, his head was cold, and he just slept and slept"), and her household medical reference notes that the fever is dangerous and suggests a remedy: "One teaspoon of wild honey from the moon has been known to cure." With all her energy directed toward obtaining the antidote, she sets off, negotiating a flight to the moon from a Great Horned Owl while evading his cordially phrased threats. Once on the moon, she comforts a herd of frightened Night Mares and withstands a chorus of no's from the drones guarding the Moon's Queen bee ("My dear sick son needs your honey to be well. So step aside"). Kraegel's illustrations linger on tiny lines and fine textures: leaves on trees, stars in the sky, and wood grain and warmth in the Family Shrew's tree house abode. Reassuring and warmhearted, the story celebrates a brave and loving guardian who will do anything for her child. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--When her beloved only son falls ill and seems unable to recover, Mother Shrew researches his illness and discovers that the only cure is "wild honey from the moon." And so she locks the door behind her and sets off to acquire some. Along the way, she meets a hungry owl, whom she tricks into flying her to the moon, and a stampede of "night mares," whom she soothes with some motherly direction and advice. When she finally reaches the home of the Queen Bee and the source of wild honey, Mother Shrew finds a sympathetic fellow mother who commiserates on the challenges of parenting. While the story itself is simple and somewhat unremarkable, it's the whimsical, gorgeously detailed ink-and-watercolor pictures that stand out. From the charming tree house community where Mother Shrew lives to the mesmerizing patterns of the Queen Bee's garden, readers of all ages will delight in studying the intricate world Kraegel evokes. VERDICT This ode to determined mothers is a solid addition to most collections, particularly where beginning chapter books are in demand.--Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood Public Library, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Divided into seven heavily illustrated chapters, the story is one that will captivate contemplative and creative young readers. Caregivers may find this to be their next weeklong bedtime story and one that fanciful children will want to hear again and again. Kraegel's ink-and-watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of Sergio Ruzzier's but a bit grittier and with a darker color scheme. The surreal landscapes are appropriately unsettling, but a bright color palette keeps them from overwhelming readers.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Wild Honey from the Moon is a mother's love story... and a child's adventure to linger over happily. Put this one on the shelf next to Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram's Guess How Much I Love You and Elsa Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak's Little Bear.
—Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)

Kraegel's illustrations linger on tiny lines and fine textures: leaves on trees, stars in the sky, and wood grain and warmth in the Family Shrew's tree house abode. Reassuring and warmhearted, the story celebrates a brave and loving guardian who will do anything for her child.
—Publishers Weekly

A lavishly-illustrated book about the bond between a mother shrew and her son, this gentle adventure story takes the reader along a magical journey to the moon and back...This could also be a good book for Mother's Day, a unit on the moon, or a compare/contrast unit with a nonfiction book about a relatively unfamiliar animal, the shrew.
—School Library Connection

Kraegel's detailed ink-and-watercolor illustrations call to mind Sergio Ruzzier and feature colorful, anthropomorphic animals engaged in a variety of activities...Arranged in seven mini-chapters, this is a fanciful acknowledgement of the limitless devotion of mothers to their offspring.
—Booklist

From the charming tree house community where Mother Shrew lives to the mesmerizing patterns of the Queen Bee's garden, readers of all ages will delight in studying the intricate world Kraegel evokes. This ode to determined mothers is a solid addition to most collections, particularly where beginning chapter books are in demand.
—School Library Journal

In seven short, delightful chapters, Kenneth Kraegel (King Arthur's Very Great Grandson; Green Pants; The Song of Delphine) takes enraptured readers on an adventure they are likely to want to experience again and again...Wild Honey from the Moon is a mother's love story... and an adventure to linger happily over. Put this one on the shelf next to Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram's Guess How Much I Love You and Maurice Sendak's Little Bear.
—Shelf Awareness Pro

The ink and watercolor illustrations are rich in texture with fine filigree lining, calling up the surreal feel of Chris Van Allsburg's work. The warmth has an appealing touch of the absurd, and kiddos who appreciated the magic of The Wind in the Willows might appreciate this moonlit tale.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books