Moon Bear

by Clare Helen Welsh, Carolina T. Godina (illustrator)

In this enchantingly illustrated, almost wordless picture book, a story of courage and creativity unfolds when a girl who is afraid of the dark meets a magical moon bear who is afraid of the light.

Ettie is afraid of the dark. Every night, without fail, her Mommy calls, "Time for bed, Ettie!" The curtains pull shut, her bedside lamp blinks out and Ettie is surrounded by the deep inky cloak of the dark…

… Until one night, the bright moon shines through a crack in her drapes. Cautiously, Ettie reaches out a hand to touch the light and is surprised to find that it leaves a glittering mark on her hands. Overcome with curiosity and joy, Ettie dances around her room, drawing with this magical beam of moonlight. She pulls open the drapes and begins to connect the stars in the sky as if they were dots. A moon bear slowly appears in the sky, and when she connects the very last dot, he bursts into life, standing in Ettie’s very own bedroom.

The bear and Ettie begin to play and explore Ettie’s room. But when Ettie switches on her flashlight, the bear hides away in fear. Together, Ettie and the moon bear help each other face their fears. One is afraid of the dark and the other is afraid of the light.

This touching story encourages little ones to be brave, in the dark and beyond, empowering them to face their fears. This beautiful book also teaches them the power of visual communication – it’s a story that says so much with only a few words, and speaks instead with comforting illustrations to soothe and reassure.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Ebooks

Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2024

Reviews

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

Can it get any cuter?

Little Ettie gets ready and lies in her bed, afraid of the dark. She tries to sleep only to see stardust entering the room. Curious, she explores the stardust and traces a bear by connecting the star dots. Viola! Magic! The bear comes alive to meet her.

This is a lovely book with barely any text. Only two pages have text, that too, no more than 8 words in total. The rest of the story is told in a series of illustrations. Some pages have multiple images arranged in neat boxes.

Kids can easily understand the context by looking at the illustrations. The expressions are clear and apt. Curiosity, delight, hesitation, fear, eagerness, anticipation, and many other emotions can be grasped just by looking at the pictures. The color scheme is beautiful in shades of greenish-blue, reddish-orange, and sparkling silver stardust.

To summarize, Moon Bear is a perfect bedtime story for kiddos and will give them a happy sleep filled with dreams of magic and furry friends!

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#MoonBear #NetGalley

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Moon Bear is such an adorable and nostalgic read! It reminded me, in ways, of The Snowman, which I loved as a child. We follow a little girl who goes through her nighttime routine of getting ready for bed (bath, putting on pj's, story with mum, then sleep) but she seems a little scared of the dark and keeps a torch on in her bed. When magical lights shine through from her window, she goes to investigate and finds a moon bear who's come from the starts in the night sky. They play together and have lots of fun, and the little moon bear gets scared at one point, to which the little girl explains about what scared him and comforts him. They fall asleep in her tent in her room, and when she awakens, she's all alone. She rushes through her day, eager to get home and go to bed to see Moon Bear again, and this part is so funny, especially her telling her mummy it's time for bed instead of the other way round.
There's only afew words at the beginning and at the end and the rest is left for the reader to interpret into a story themselves. The illustrations are so adorable and very easy to follow and understand what is happening for children.

[suvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon Bear is an absolute delight to read!

Ettie is afraid of the dark... Until one night when the bright moon shines through a crack in her curtains. She connects the stars in the sky as if they were dots and a Moon Bear appears in her room! Together they face each other fears.

I like the sky. The Great Bear (or Ursa Major) is one of my favorite constellations! And I love the moon! I have got out of the bed in the most inconvenient hours imaginable to go outside to take pictures of it. I once went to exam with no sleep because I was up all night taking photos of the moon.

And for the longest time, I was afraid of the dark! I started to get over my fear when my father introduced me to the stars. That meant pointing at the sky and reading a lot of non-fiction. I would have absolutely adored a book like this as a child!

The art and story also reminded me a lot of the film The Snowman (1982) - which is actually based on a book but I have never read it. I love the film and this book made me feel just the same, magical.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Rebecca Crunden]

This is a beautiful picture book. The illustrations are wonderfully done and very colourful and adorable.

Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like Goldilocks because everything about this picture book was just right, from the beautiful cover to the pastel illustrations to the lovely message. It’s Ettie’s bedtime, but night is so scary! But when she meets the magical Moon Bear, she finds a playmate just as frightened by the light as she is of the night. Maybe having a friend is what it takes to reduce the fear. Author Clare Helen Welsh and illustrator Carolina T. Godina craft an amazing book with nearly no words.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Quarto Publishing and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Moon Bear’ is a perfect read for young readers. An absolutely beautiful picture book with very few words about a young girl who is afraid of the dark, so instead she makes friends with it. Specifically, the little Moon Bear who comes to visit her.

I would have loved something like this when I was younger. I could see this resonating with a lot of young children who are just as scared of the dark.

It’s imaginative and creative. The illustrations are beautifully gentle which helps to capture the essence of the story. It was a sweet read, especially seeing how overjoyed the little girl was with her new found friendship. There were hardly any words, yet I found that there didn’t need to be. The images alone told us enough.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Miles Row · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book mostly without words.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for free.

In this delightfully sweet silent graphic novel, we are following a young girl who’s having trouble sleeping and who creates a polar bear every night to help her fall asleep. Together, they play and cuddle until she falls into the arms of Morpheus.

This book is perfect for young children who don’t know how to read yet as they can make up the story just by looking at the pictures. It is also perfect for any child who’s afraid of the dark as it will teach them to embrace it and make friends with it. Overall, all children who love picture books, graphic novels and/or cute illustrations in general will surely love this book. Not to mention adults who are feeling nostalgic or just enjoy cute things 😉

[Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This is another children's book that reminded me of one of my favorite authors growing up - Jan Brett. This book was adorable and so, so sweet. I loved this story and highly recommend this book!

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[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, kindhearted, hopeful story, almost completely in illustrations! A young girl, fearful of the night, gains a special, not-quite-imaginary, playmate friend. Guaranteed to warm the hearts of little ones, a perfect bedtime story to share!

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, sweet tale about a little girl afraid of the dark and a moon bear who is afraid of the light. They comfort each as the spectacular illustrations glow from the page. Highly recommended!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a NetGalley book [original release date 6.4.2024] and I was finally able to purchase a copy [it was never available at any of my libraries] of this book to read/review. I was unable to do so originally do to a disappeared file. My review is below.

This is an absolutely gorgeous book! I was reading this and my Mom came into my room and ended up staying and looking at this book with me because she was so entranced by the amazing illustrations!!

This is a story about a little girl who doesn't love bedtime and is afraid of the dark. One night she meets a new "friend" who teaches her that some things can only been seen when it is dark and that the dark is really okay.

This is a fabulous children's book [littles will love finding all the different things in the picture panels as well as making up their own story when there are no words on the page] that everyone will enjoy over and over. I am so glad that I was finally able to find this and read it!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Clare Helen Welsh, Carolina T. Godina - Illustrator, and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books/Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing the original ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moon Bear is almost a wordless book with words on the first page and almost the end. This is a cute bedtime story, that will help with children who are afraid of the dark, as well as allow parent and child to interact with the story by telling it themselves and describing what they see. Ettie is afraid of the dark... Until one night when the bright moon shines through a crack in her curtains. She goes to the window and seeing the stars in the sky, she connects them like dots and the Moon Bear appears. They play together and she is not longer afraid of the dark and can't wait to go to bed the next night.

This is a beautifully illustrated book, that ignites the imagination. The kids took turns describing what they saw and I explained that they were writing the story with their words. We also talked about being afraid of the dark (which the oldest is) and how their nightlight was like the starlight that came in the window. We enjoyed this one, and my granddaughter wants to write her own story (with my help) the next time she sleeps over and we read this one again.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally visual delight! The story is that of a little one who falls asleep to become beguiled by the stars in the sky, especially the Ursa.
The illustrations by Carolina T. Godina are multiple, imaginative, colorful, and representative.
There are remarkably few words but it is great for sharing WITH someone of any age, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from the
Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books | Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Available 04 Jun 2024 #NightSky

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable, creative, and utterly unique. My heart has been captured. The illustrations were beautiful and charming. I had a stuffed animal as a kid that helped me be brave in the dark, too. Hardly any words, but there didn't need to be - the images spoke loudly.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, and so-close-to-wordless fantasy, that probably also acts as a dramatic way of showing how a young girl loses her fear of the dark. We start with the girl turning her torch on the second her mother has shut the bedroom door for the night, and ends with her rushing through the following day and evening so she can call it bedtime – but the night in between is the focus where it all happens. 'It' is the discovery/imagination/whatever that she can capture some of the sparkling dazzle from a full moon on her fingertips and actually manipulate it – and when she spots a bear in the constellations outside her window she can make the bear come to life, as a perfect night-time-romp-and-bed-fort companion.

Of course the reality of the bear is up for debate, however real and charming it looks in these visuals. And they're quite distinctive, too – at some points the full double-paged spread, at others taking as many smaller boxes across the page to convey the passing of events as thought needed. If being a book about losing fear of the dark this is rather low on relatable, transferable skills and ideas, but as a portrayal of that moment when you see the magic of being a night-owl (and of course the friend of a lovely white bear) this is a really pretty book. A strong four stars.

[Emma Fawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc received through NetGalley
⭐️3 Stars⭐️

Moon Bear is a cute story following a little girl who is scared of the dark, and moon bear who is scared of light. Together they play and communicate non-verbally, enjoying each others company and accommodating around their fears.

I found the idea that two beings helping each other with their opposite fears to be quite beautiful. They showed each other why they dont have to be scared and are safe, while still validating each others fears. This is a fantastic lesson to children that while it’s important and possible to overcome your fears, there’s no shame in having them.

While this book is beautifully illustrated, I felt it needed more narration. For me, it took me a whole grasp the concept of the book, as I couldn’t see the deeper meaning with just the pictures. It wasn’t till after I read the synopsis that I understood the book completely. I feel that a child may have an even more difficult time understanding the meaning, unless their guardian was to have a discussion about the lesson afterwards.

Overall, this book is perfect for children with anxiety, or who are simply afraid of the dark. The adorable illustrations are sure to put a smile on not only your kids face, but also your own.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Quarto/ Frances Lincoln and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Ettie is scared of the nighttime, but as the moonshines in her bedroom she has a line of magic come through that she dances in, then she goes towards the window and creates a moon bear out of stars and magic to play with her, but Moon Bear is scared of the daytime and us gone when she wakes.

This book was so beautiful, being worldless it completely reminded me of books I read in my childhood where you aren’t getting much to say but the illustrations literally tell you the story. I loved it so much, so much thought and creativity went into making this book, being able to tell the story alone with illustrations is no easy feat.

Ettie was so cute, being so scared of night and then finding the magic, the stars and the Moon Bear it made her want to get to bed again so she could play with her friend. I really enjoyed it so much and its shows a magical side of nighttime.

This is such a great book to read with and share with your child, this book is fully of magic and I think children would really enjoy seeing the story unfolding through the illustrations.

[Selina Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated story about a young girl learning to get over her fear of the dark by making friends with it, ore more precisely with the bear that appears in her room when it's dark out and the moon shines in.

The story is told with very few (i.e almost none) words, and that works well. Not sure if I would have trouble with this as a read along with my child at bedtime, but I can definitely see it as being something that a child who doesn't know how to read could thumb through and understand on their own. They'd feel like a big kid doing that. And once they read through it with mom or dad for the very few parts where there is text, then they would have no problem understanding it. I think that's the beauty of how it is told.

Oh, and the illustration is so pretty. Soft and detailed at the same time.

All in all, a good picture book that would make a great gift. It would also work well as a way to talk about fear of the dark and maybe to come up with some techniques to get over that fear.

*I received an ARC via NetGalley

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ettie is afraid of the dark. This beautifully illustrated wordless story allows the reader to interpret using their own voice the journey from fear to reassurance.

As with most children the fear of the dark is real. The moonlight shining through draws upon their inquisitive nature to investigate. The moonlight adds a layer of comfort as it is not entirely dark. This books draws upon the constellations visible in the night sky in particular Ursa Major / Ursa Minor (the bears). Together Ettie and the bear explore and understand each other’s fears with Ettie afraid of the dark and the bear afraid of the light. Together they make peace and Ettie is able to sleep and at the end appears eager for bedtime.

My little one liked the illustrations and they allowed him to create additional connections including friendship.

[Britney Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book were absolutely stunning, with my personal favorites being the constellations and the lights/stars throughout the pages. The storyline is clear and easy to follow, which makes this great for a range of ages. My youngest children are ages 8 & 10, and it was still captivating without many words and not too young for them. This book allows the reader to create their own dialogue and their own guided story. Anyone that is looking for a unique children’s book with whimsy and beauty would love Moon Bear.

Feel free follow my social media accounts, I will be sharing my review of this book prior to the publishing date.
https://linktr.ee/britneybarlow

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little girl's fears of the dark are vanquished by a sparkly bear that she conjures in the night. Reminiscent of The Snowman, this is a magical tale is nearly wordless, and leaves the reader wondering, "Was it real, or just a dream?" This lovely book owes a lot to the exquisite artwork by Carolina T. Godina.



Many thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for sharing.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about a little girl named Ettie who’s worries catch up with her after the lights go out at bedtime.

Mommy tucks her in and turns out the light, but Ettie’s eyes are wide awake and she grips her flashlight. Do her eyes deceive her? Or is that a small but bright whirl of light coming through her window. Ettie dances and twirls with the light, waving her finger to draw, then poof! A bright white bear comes shining through. With its playful and curious nature, Ettie’s worries are long forgotten.

This is such a precious picture book! With few words throughout, your young reader can make their imagination soar as they flip through the pages. A lovely story to enjoy at bedtime.

[Cheryl Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most effectively illustrated with the concept it is carrying. This is told via a little girl Ellie who is afraid of the dark and whenever her mother calls her for a bedtime she shrinked in her posture thinking how she bears that all over the night. But in one such night she thought to have a moonlite dots shaped like light bear. Here she got to know that, that light bear fears light.
This is a wordless book but says a lot about overcoming fears that we carry inside us. My parents, in my childhood make me overcome such fears by saying that if you are fearing from something maybe that too afraid of you, so don't ever be afraid but be strong to win that fear.

My NetGalley review

[Cuppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moon Bear by Clare Helen Welsh is a beautifully imagined tale of magical friendship. This nearly wordless story is illustrated by Carolina T. Godina in a lush palette of dark blues and greens with highlights of brilliant white. We first meet a little girl named Ettie, who is afraid of the dark. One night, while Ettie is lying awake when a beam of sparkling light shines through her window. The light brings Moon Bear, a curious young cub who becomes Ettie's friend. This is a peaceful book that could be a lovely bedtime story, especially for children who are a bit fearful of bedtime. The beautiful illustrations can be enjoyed any time of day.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mostly wordless picture book is beautiful! The nighttime illustrations feel magical, and the story is sweet. I also like how the artist used panel art, introducing young readers to the flow of a graphic novel. This adds even more details to the story, and the format and radiant illustrations help this book stand out among others with a similar premise.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute, heartwarming, beautifully illustrated book! I love the idea of the little girl seeing a bear in the constellations and tracing the stars to make an outline. The bear joins her to explore new things. This book is adorable! I also liked the fact the next night, there were other animals in the night sky. A spin off series with other animals coming? Hope so!

Very simple book, very loveable characters and a child excitable to go to bed to see if they can see the bear again. Loved it!

[LaBibliodeCaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book concept is interesting: there's virtually no text (except for two lines), and the kid learns to use her wild imagination to get over her fear of the dark. The illustrations really convey a strong sense of magic and wonder. It's very beautiful to watch. And I understand the willingness to use only pictures to tell the story, but I would've loved to "hear" the conversations between the child and the bear. Well, it'll be up to the reader's imagination!