FULL MOON AND STAR
by Lee Bennett Hopkins & illustrated by Marcellus Hall
Two young friends separately discover playwriting and then realize the benefits of cooperation.
The poet-and-illustrator team that created City I Love (2009) introduces the very young to another form of writing in this sweet and simple read-aloud: drama. Kyle and Katie, with their moonpie faces, serve as modern preschool versions of the archetypical comic-strip characters Nancy and Sluggo. Katie has black hair and the trademark red dress. Kyle has freckles and overalls. And although they are best friends, Kyle has written a play all by himself. Katie, seeing a good idea, follows up with her own play. The story switches between their backyard fun and stage performances complete with curtain calls, spotlights and audiences. When they decide to combine forces, the new play is elevated to parallel the love and loyalty shown between the two friends. This winsome tale is just another preschool story of cooperation. Yet the focus on playwriting and performance, complete with script formatting and special punctuation, sets a new stage for this common tale.