Moose

by Michael Foreman

Caught in a battle between a bear and an eagle, Moose uses their sticks and stones to erect a splendid building which all the animals enjoy.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Michael has worked on magazines, book jackets, animated films, TV adverts, and even for the police, sketching criminals described by witnesses. As well as illustrating many of his own books, Michael has illustrated over a hundred books for authors such as Shakespeare, J. M. Barrie, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde. Michael has travelled widely - to Africa, Japan, the Arctic Circle, China and Malaysia, the Himalayas, Siberia and New Zealand - to research his books. "I do a lot of research when I'm travelling - I find it thrilling to discover the particular 'art' of different landscapes and work them into a book. But I find I have to travel by myself, otherwise I'm constantly getting involved in other people's impressions of a place... I try to be invisible when I'm travelling, so I tend to listen in on conversations rather than participate in them - I just want to look and draw."

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moose gets caught in the middle when Bear and Eagle begin a shouting match. Although he attempts to intervene, going to speak to each of the combatants, he is rebuffed by both, and the conflict only grows more severe, moving from angry words to the throwing of sticks and stones. Fortunately, Moose finds a use for the missiles that land near his house, eventually building a massive shelter that woos Eagle and Bear's allies away from the fighting. In the end, the two war-like animals find themselves alone, with nothing left to throw...

Although I am in sympathy with the idea of Moose - that conflict is destructive, a waste of time, and destroys the lives of those engaged in it - and although I have enjoyed many of Michael Foreman's other books, somehow this one just fell completely flat for me. The story felt rather pointed, in terms of delivering its message, but not particularly engaging, as a story in its own right. I simply couldn't muster up much interest in Moose's predicament, and given the seriousness of the topic, was oddly unmoved by the whole thing. Tastes may vary, of course, so other readers may feel differently, particularly if they are Michael Foreman fans.

[Laura Shefler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I ever read on my own. Probably I had it memorized from hearing it read to me, but, hey, that's how a lot of "first" books get read. Eagle and bear are throwing sticks and stones at each other. Moose caught in the middle, uses them to build his neighbors a vast heart shaped mansion. The Cold War-related subtext is funny, yet the story stands on it's own This was my first exposure to swords-to-ploughshares concepts, and I can still call up the joy it brought me.

[Cerenela (Cherry Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moose fue un libro que conocí de niña, fue uno de los primeros libros que "leí" y las ilustraciones eran hermosas pero no entendía ni media palabra porque estaba en inglés. Sin embargo, las ilustraciones servían para contar bien la historia.

Hoy, muuuchos años después, tuve la oportunidad de conseguirlo y leer la historia que nos cuenta una conflicto entre un oso y un águila en el medio del cual se verá atrapado nuestro protagonista un alce (Moose).

El libro nos muestra lo absurdo de los conflictos y las guerras, pero también nos enseña que de cada situación negativa siempre tenemos la oportunidad de sacar algo positivo y algo que de alguna manera nos enriquezca y nos haga crecer.

Me encanta haber recuperado este libro luego de tanto tiempo.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moralistic, but well executed.