TALK ME A STORY ABOUT MOON RABBIT!
written and illustrated by Michelle Myers
A Korean American girl follows the Moon Rabbit from her Momma’s stories one night, discovering magical conflict and a secret legacy on the Moon.
Seoul-born, biracial Korean American Shelly, whose mother survived the Korean War, is afraid of both the dark and the racist bullying of her American schoolmates. Still, Shelly derives strength from the lamb plushie Halmoni sent her from Korea, and from the times her mother “talk[s] a story,” often mixing Korean folklore into personal narrative. When Moon Rabbit, noble of heart in Momma’s tales, steals some of the family’s rice, Shelly chases him through a rice cooker portal to the Moon—only to find its anthropomorphic animal inhabitants have fears of their own. One of these inhabitants, the Moon Gobbler, hungers for “the magic of the Moon’s light as well as the fears of children because their imaginations are filled with the power of creativity and belief.” Banding together with Turtle, Tiger, Moon Rabbit, and her beloved Lammie, Shelly must find the strength within herself and her mother’s stories to save the Moon and its magic. Vibrantly colored, stylized illustrations by the author provide welcome visuals, especially useful for those unfamiliar with the Korean aspects. Often humorous dialogue and speech patterns differentiate the characters; interspersed Korean folklore and language out the world, while age-appropriate descriptions aptly set the stage for Shelly’s journey. If the phonetic Korean seems occasionally unwieldy, the author’s ease in translating Shelly’s emotions and struggle to belong rings true. Unearthing bravery, embracing the power of stories, building friendships, recognizing the importance of forgiveness, and valuing one’s heritage offer robust thematic footholds for this well-paced fabulist tale.
An inviting contemporary-folklore blend makes for an entertaining adventure for young readers.