Le garçon qui aimait la Lune

by Rino Alaimo

L'émouvante histoire d'un petit garçon tombé amoureux de la Lune, et désireux de l'enchanter par toutes sortes de cadeaux, tous rejetés. Il finit alors par lui offrir le plus beau des présents : la lumière et les couleurs du jour.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Spanish Literature

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2015

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casting her light through an open window,
she captured the heart of a lonely boy.

One night, all of the lights of the neighborhood went out - completely out - and a little boy looked out the window.

And he saw the moon in a way he never saw her before.

Immediately, he knows he has to win her over - so he tries giving her materialistic gifts...then magical gifts...

But the moon, unimpressed with
his gift, gently rejected the boy.

The boy becomes absolutely crushed...but determined to keep trying.

...anyone else would have given up.
But not the boy.

Will he convince the moon to fall in love with him? Or will he be lonely forever?

Right off the bat - I absolutely loved the artwork for this one - simply stunning!

The use of color and line truly made this book stand out.

I just want to go through it one more time (yes. I am twenty-six years old and yes, I am in love with children's books).

I really liked the story-telling style. It had such an old-timey feel to the words and it definitely has great pacing for this bedtime story.

I also liked how there were several interpretations of the book.

One could be that the boy kept giving the moon things until she gave in (which as some reviewers have pointed out, may be a little problematic for young'ens - just keep throwing presents at her and she'll like you!)

Another is that materialistic things are not important.

The boy never truly captures the moon's heart until he brings her out of the darkness and into a whole new world (this one I like - sending the message that giving presents (not matter how magical) isn't what makes someone love you).

And another is that persistence is what you need to succeed.

The boy faces rejection after rejection but realizes that in order to win over the moon, he needs to be stronger and more resilient himself (as you can tell from him going from simple gifts to fighting dragons).

I like how this book doesn't have a concrete interpretation (though if your child is leaning towards option 1, maybe talk about other meanings?) and honestly, the pictures have me going back to it again and again.

With thanks to the author and Familius for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[*Tau* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This marvellous short story can be read in book form, but you can also watch the gorgeous animation movie on which it's based online: The boy who loved the moon

"Sometimes, some events are so deeply engrained in the hearts and minds of people, that they become legends, making us forget that they have really happened. Just like the story I'm about to tell you."

The atmospheric music and storytelling immediately wrap around you like a warm blanket at night.
And in the beginning the night is dark and everything's black.
But once the lights go on, you discover a beautiful world shrouded in luminous golden hues.

"The moon shining with a radiant glow, casting her light through an open window, captured the hart of a lonely boy."

This boy falls in love with the moon and tries to win her heart.
He does so by going on several quests to give her the most precious gifts.
But the moon doesn't care for riches, which is a beautiful message in this very materialistic world.

"He finally offered her something that she had never seen before."

What an original ending of an enchanting story!
Some reviewers don't agree and interpret this story on a whole different level, claiming that it's promoting unhealthy relationships.
Of course, every reader is entitled to his/her/their own opinion.

But to me, this story is all about the magic of colours, inspiration, non-materialistic love and broadening your horizons.

The Italian author Rino Alaimo emphasizes that this story is a fairy tale and thus contains metaphors and archetypes.
In his country (and in many others) the moon represents the unattainable dream and this book tells the story of a boy who struggles to make his dream come true.
It was absolutely not his intention to give a message that could be misinterpreted or offend people.

Did you know that he also wrote a fairy tale against child abuse?
It's called 'La principessa del cielo' and it's supposed to help children who've been abused to talk about it.
The illustrations seem to be made in the same vein as 'The boy who loved the moon' and a teaser can be watched here.

Anyway, I hope to see a lot more beautiful illustrated stories by this talented artist in the future!


In 2022 I'm reading one short story a day.
You can discover more about it here.
This was #1.

PS: This review also appeared on my blog, along with the footage.
If you want to watch it there, head over to: https://world-of-tau.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-boy-who-loved-moon.html

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. Nonononononono!

This pretty little primer teaches that, if someone politely turns you down even after you show up at her house uninvited with expensive gifts you went through some trouble to get her, then its OK to physically restrain her and make her your girlfriend.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute folktale story about a little boy who falls in love with the moon and works greatly to be hers by giving the moon something she's never had. He gets her all kinds of jewels and sacred items, but still the moon tells him it is not enough, for these have all been offerings before to the moon. The boy gets an idea to tie the moon to his land with rope, and together holds the moon so that she may, for the first time, experience the sun. The boy lived with his love the moon for the rest of ever, and every once and awhile- you'll see both the sun and moon together - his offering.

[Sofia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate this book so so SO much. It is a toddler manual for perpetuating rape culture. Hear me out. Boy loves moon. Moon says no. Frustrated, the boy uses a rope, to tie up the moon and force her into the daytime, a place she neither belongs nor wants to be. The moon, realizing the lengths of violation and violence this boy is willing to go through, finally gives in because she's tired and worn down and probably terrified. Boy gets to be with Moon.

How is this a GOOD lesson?? This is literally a rape culture primer for children. How does this thing have ANY 5 star reviews? Ugh.

[Kasey Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story and illustrations. It is unfortunate that the little boy has to win over the moon by impressing her but it is a good conversation starter. Objects did not win over the moon but rather showing her a new perspective.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un album rempli de tendresse, doux et magnifiquement narré. Des couleurs dorées qui agissent comme la lumière réconfortante d'une veilleuse le soir. Inspiré du film d'animation en question, une belle lecture à effectuer avec ses enfants avant d'aller se coucher...

[Concetta Kellough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illustrations. I loved this book. I look forward to reading it to my grandchildren.

[Tatie Punkinhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected, beautifully illustrated, so good! At least from an adult's perspective.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy falls in love with the Moon and tries to win her heart by offering her lavish gifts. He slays the dragon and travels down into the deepest ocean, but the Moon is unimpressed. Finally the boy finds one thing that will touch the Moon's heart and win her love.

This book is so imaginative! The plot is like a dream and it doesn't quite make sense. The magic is mysterious and strange. You never quite know what is going to happen, but if you can just let the enchantment wash over you and accept whatever wild things come along, you will enjoy it.

The illustrations are dark and beautiful. The moonlight truly appears to glow and shimmer on the page. I love the soft art style, and the lovely designs for the boy and the scenery. It has a soothing quality, like a soft dreamy pillow. It gives me the feeling that you would have to whisper if you were reading it out loud. It's the perfect bedtime book!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Bblue 12 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es la primera vez que compro un libro infantil, y la segunda vez que leo este género

Me encantó mucho la historia, perfecta para los más pequeños y perfecta para regalar esas hermosas noches antes de dormir junto con la familia 💙

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually titled "The Boy Who Loved The Moon". It's a wonderful, gentle children's tale.

[Melisande · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://accrocdeslivres.blogspot.fr/20...

[Beka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the artwork in this one. Very beautiful

[BrocheAroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully-illustrated.

[Assja Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the art on this book.

[Danny Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fue muy lindo, eso sí debo decirlo. Al ser un cuento para niños, está bien que sea corto. El arte y sus colores se me hicieron muy bellos, y en cuanto a la historia... igual como son solo 40 páginas, no es que vaya a ser la gran obra literaria. Aun así, se me hizo bonito.

[Barbara Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this at the store where I saw it. The pictures are cool; a bit dark, but there's a reason for that.

[Ashley Ewert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never give up no matter how much it seems that the odds are stacked against you! I loved the dark illustrations with the pop of light.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely gorgeous! The way it is illustrated and the way the story is told. I could never have worked out how to win the love of the moon. Stunning.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful and unique artwork, let down by the story.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Едно малко момче, една голяма любов и една луна. Какво ли трябва да се подари на Луната, за да се спечели нейното сърце?

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of arrow to the sun.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

This book is absolutely gorgeous, and I was immediately drawn to the eye-catching gold-on-black illustrations! This book is a complete work of art. It's the story of the man in the moon, how he got there; a boy falls in love with the moon, and does all he can to make the moon love him back. It's a little worrying how persistant the boy is, despite the moon continuing to reject him - not the best messages to be teaching children; boys, keep trying, and you don't need to listen to "no", girls, expect boys to try really hard, and give you gifts. It just seems to encourage creepiness from boys and materialism in girls. I think, despite the questionable story, it could be a really good teaching aid. And it is absolutely beautiful, it might be difficult to resist buying, anyway.

[Zaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Les dessins m'ont le plus accrochée, notamment le contraste entre le fond sombre et les tracés couleur de lune, ils donnent vraiment une atmosphère atypique et magique à l'ensemble. L'histoire était à la fois sympathique et dérangeante, j'ai bien aimé voir le petit garçon faire des efforts pour apporter des cadeaux de plus en plus beaux, mais d'un autre côté il était vraiment très insistant (et il finit par l'attacher pour avoir ce qu'il veut...). Pas trop aimé le message sous-jacent donc, même s'il n'est probablement pas intentionnel.

[Maggie KutsBorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very unusual illustrations - done in a style rarely seen in picture books. I wasn't surprised to find out in the back matter that this book is adapted from a film. The content of the story is ... fine.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the illustrations and the concept for this book, but the storytelling doesn't do much for me. The boy trying to win the love of the moon tries different things to win over the moon, but each action is so singular and separate from the others. The flow of the story is not smooth.

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful folk tale is about a boy who loves the moon and is willing to do anything to win her love. The pictures are gorgeous and it would be a nice addition to a unit on folk tales and fairy tales.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heros journey. I love this story. Great messages: follow your heart, act with love not fear, don't give up... Society has lost the value of Myth and storytelling, I feel this book does just that.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit too cliche and monochromatic