I was immediate drawn to Moon Bear over other children's books on NetGalley because of the cover. Though simple, it was the first taste of the artstyle, which is just absolutely gorgeous. It's really cute and quaint, and immediately feels sweet and comforting. The magic elements are also really pretty and whimsical. Plus, I think this has universal/unisex appeal which is great.

A sweet bedtime story about a young girl meeting a polar bear in her dreams. This is a mostly wordless story so the pictures really are the star of the show and these illustrations are able to carry the weight of the storytelling. They are dynamic and full movement that propels the storytelling visually. The panels are well divided with smaller illustrations interspersed with larger full page images for more impactful moments. Wordless stories are generally not my favorite children's books for read alouds/storytime but this would be great for independent reading or encouraging children to develop a sense of storytelling and imagination.

A stunning book! This is truly beautiful from the premise to the illustrations. The little adventures with the bear and the child waking the next day to rush through, eager to get to bed brought tears to my eyes. There are maybe eight words in this book and truly, that’s all that’s needed as the gorgeous illustrations tell the story in the most delightful way. I need to buy this for my kids 🌙 🐻

Moon Bear is a beautifullu illustrated story about a child scared to go to sleep. The child sees the magical moonlight come through their window and they create an imaginary bear that plays with them until morning.

This book was so sweet! The illustrations themselves were so beautiful. The book gives children the opportunity to use their imagination through interpretation of the illustrations. This is a great bedtime story!

Thank you to Clare Helen Welsh and NetGalley for the ARC.

Firstly I would like to thank Clare Helen Welsh , Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of ' Moon Bear ' to read and review.

Due for publication at the beginning of June 2024,
This heart-warming and enchanting story follows a night in the life of a young girl called Ettie who is afraid of the dark until she meets Moon Bear who is terrified of the light. The story is all about overcoming fears and looking at the situation from a different perspective. It is a charming and engaging tale about friendship and that every problem can be overcome when you work together.

The book itself is heavily image based with very little written word , but every vision is so painstakingly detailed. It is beautifully illustrated by Carolina T Godina who has noticeably poured her love onto every page. The story behind the images is very imaginative and I certainly believe it would be empowering to small children who fear the unknown every time the lights are turned off .

#MoonBear #NetGalley

This almost wordless picture book is just one of the most beautifully illustrated ones I have ever read. There is a touch of magic in every page of the story. Maybe it is also full of magic and refers to the moon, it reminds me of another picture book (not wordless though), "The Moon Zoo" by Carol Ann Duffy. I love this and will use it in my courses soon.

What a lovely book! The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and the story they convey is so sweet. Definitely going to buy this for my niece, she will love it

What a lovely picture book. I like that this is almost wordless and you can make up your own ideas along the way.
Beautiful illustrations too.
Can't wait to add this to our library!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley. This book will definitely be making its way not only into my classroom library, but our home library as well. As an almost completely wordless book, this gives children the opportunity to use their imagination to “read” the book. What a great story to read over and over again!

Beautiful wordless picture book bedtime story for kids! Such lovely illustrations that pull you into the cozy world of Moon Bear. Just lovely.

This book is a warm cozy hug. It does an amazing job of introducing young readers to the beauty of the nature world, ways to calm one’s fears, and the power of imagination. The glittering shimmers of the moonlight turn into a magical, comforting bear that keeps Ettie company through the night. The art is soft and playful and draws readers in. Most of the story is told through pictures rather than words making it very accessible to young readers and a great opportunity for parents/guardians to introduce these concepts to their children verbally with the support of images.

I'm a retired preschool teacher, mother of seven and grandmother of two so I've read many children's books. Usually I don't know what to do with picture books like this one - with no text. How do you "read' this with a child? This book is so beautiful and the story is so clearly told in the pictures, it would be a pleasure to "read" with children. It's about a little boy who is afraid to go to sleep - afraid of the dark - as many children are. Then the moonlight and starlight come into his room and he has an adventure with a bear from the stars. The next night, he can't wait to go to bed to have another adventure. Such a sweet book and really gorgeous illustrations! Highly recommend!

Beautifully illustrated story about the bond between a child and a bear. The illustrations are vivid and powerful in telling the story. A cute insight into the life of the child as they become excited about seeing their bear friend.

I’ve never read a book with less than ten words that struck my heart as much as this one did.
Ettie is a sweet girl that from this book I think learns a bit more about independence and routine.
The illustrations are 100%. I love them. So cute. It was what initially drew me to this title and I was not disappointed.
The themes within this book are: loneliness, companionship, imagination, and routines.
The writing style is simple and to the point with focus on dialogue. Nothing excessive. It gives the reader opportunity to talk through this book in whatever language suits them- especially since more people are now multilingual. There’ll be a different interpretation every time either from the adult or from the child reading it.
That is the reason I would recommend this book. The opportunity to find your own Moon Bear and to become free of what’s written in the pages to engage with the book as much or as little is possible on any given day, at any given age.
-Umikan

Moon Bear is a stunning picture book about a little girl who creates a bear friend from moon dust. Words are sparse and the illustrations and layout reminds me of the classic children's book, The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. Each illustration tells a story about Ettie's day. Children and parents will be entranced by this one. I adored this magical book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Wow this was such a lovely book, that gave my son (4yo) a chance to put his own words on the situations. And invited us to talk about how we are all different and also all have different fears.
Filled with beautiful illustrations.

Super sweet read that is perfect for younger kids. It's a great bed time book and the artwork is really sweet. I would definitely recommend it!

This gorgeous book is filled with beautiful illustrations with a huge scope for storytelling by both adults and children. It will gently lead to discussions about feelings and fears.
Its particularly good for Key Stages 1 and 2 but I believe it could easily be used for older children too.
I highly recommend Moon Bear and can't wait to bring a copy to our book corner.
Thanks to Netgalley.

Moon Bear is a perfect bedtime story to read with my kids as their imagination takes of from page one of the story. The pictures are gorgeous and magical. I love the idea that both moon bear and Ettie work together to conquer their fear. What a beautiful reminder that when we feel alone and scared we can rely on others to help us not feel so helpless.