Reviews

If My Moon Was Your Sun by Nele Palmtag, Andreas Steinhöfel

hainyh's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a sweet story about a young boy who 'kidnaps' his grandfather from a nursing home. This emphasises the loving and special relationship that children have with their grandparents, which I'm sure many will be able to relate to. There is a really good balance of text to illustrations, the illustrations drawn in such a way that they look like drawing that could have been done by children - clearly they have not been, but this adds to the relatability of the book. There is an audio CD to accompany the book, consisting of classical music as well as narration, so it is difficult to fully consider the merits of this book without that accompaniment. On the whole though, this is a lovely heart-warming tale for young readers. My only gripe is one of aesthetics, and that is the large chunks of white space at the bottom of the pages with just text, as this makes it look unfinished and as though they were short on words.

books_under_blankets's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a sweet story with beautiful illustrations and an even more beautiful message.

I am a big fan of family stories, especially those with close grandparent relationships, so I knew this had the potential to be a winner for me. While I did feel some of the expressions were not as “kid-friendly” as the typical children’s book, the writing was somehow both poetic and concise. I think this would make the book appealing as both a read aloud and a story a child could read on their own.

I read this in ebook format, so I look forward to getting a hard copy with the accompanying CD. I think that will make the story even more powerful as I share it with my own kids.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

serrahavuz's review against another edition

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3.0

I personally love reading children's books. I believe they are generally under-rated and have many secret messages for keen readers, especially adults; I think that the reason for this is so the adults have something to enjoy when they read these books to their children (or any child).
The bright and colourful illustrarions really give light and life to the story, they have a unique drawing to them as well.
If I had the chance to listen to the books with the songs I'm sure it would have been a pleasurable read and must give another atmospher to the book.
I'm afraid I did feel like something was lacking, as though the full potential of the book was not carried out which made me feel a bit disappointed, all in all.

rogenecarter's review against another edition

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4.0

Very reminiscent of "Grandpa's Great Escape" but less humorous and with more heed to character development. Cute illustrations.

lucyp747d4's review against another edition

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4.0

This book tells the story of Max, a little boy, whose grandfather has dementia. One day Max decides to kidnap his grandfather from his nursing home and take him on an adventure. This is a very touching story and shows the special bond between children and their grandparents. I felt myself tearing up a little when reading this as I have had family members who suffered with dementia and to see the way Max saw his grandfather’s illness was so sweet.

The fact that this author has included classical music as well is such a great idea. Most children don’t listen to enough classical music and with the beautiful illustrations there will be plenty to engage the child whilst reading.

branchingoutinjax's review against another edition

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4.0

If My Moon was Your Sun is a great book to use with the kids in your life to help them understand an elderly family member's dementia. I think kids of all ages can relate to this story, whether they are grandkids trying grasp what is going on or children of those afflicted in their adult years. Who wouldn't want to try and break their loved ones out of the nursing home in hopes of keeping their spirit alive?

As I only read this thanks to an ARC from Netgalley, I didn't get to experience the accompanying record. I bet it's fantastic, though.

jessicaclare's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 - Comes with a disc that contains the audio and music. Listen to the music while you're reading the book!

slategreyskies's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is exceptional! As I read about Max and his grandfather, I felt my heart swell and fill to the brim with love. Love is, after all, at the very center of this wonderful story. Love is its North Star and what tugs Max toward his grandfather again and again. This book is beautifully illustrated and poetically written. It is truly an edition to treasure and to revisit any time you need a reminder of all that is good and kind in life.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

allingoodtime's review against another edition

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5.0

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

The copyright page on this book lists it as originally published in 2015 in Germany. This little gem is so wonderful I wonder what took so long to decide to release it to the English-speaking world. I only wish I wasn’t reading it on a black and white Kindle Paperwhite. I checked out a “look inside” on Amazon and the colors of the illustrations are so vibrant and fun.

As with most children’s books, this story teaches a lesson. The author is able to get this lesson across without it being shoved in your face. Max loves his grandfather and misses spending time outdoors with him. But grandpa has the “great forgetting” and now lives in assisted living. Luckily, grandpa still has more lucid moments that non-lucid and he reassures Max that even if he forgets him at times, his love is always there. You don’t have to see love to be loved.

It’s a beautiful tale of love, freedom, loss, and protection. I can’t even imagine the depth that would come from experiencing this story with the illustrations and the music as it’s being packaged. I believe I may have found a Christmas gift for one of my nieces or nephews.

https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/29/if-my-moon-was-your-sun-book-review/

camilaariasb's review

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0