TWO CATS, A MERMAID AND THE DISAPPEARING MOON

In Knudsen’s debut illustrated chapter book, two curious cats go exploring in search of the full moon, which appears to have vanished.

Topper and his brother Lexington are typical young cats. They love to climb trees and chase lizards, and they are fascinated and distracted by the world around them in equal measure. One night, they become entranced by the full moon (“It made everything outside look magical”), so large in the sky that Topper seems almost able to touch it from his perch on a high branch. The two brothers wait for the moon to become full again, but find only darkness in its place—and then a big, round, red, planetlike thing. Disobeying their mother’s instructions not to venture beyond their yard, the brothers set off to search for the disappeared moon. Along the way, they encounter the mermaid Shellie and her dolphin friend. Shellie, too, is missing the full moon, under whose light her tail and seaweed will transform into legs and a dress, allowing her to dance. Braving the threat of coyotes, Lexington and Topper climb a nearby cliff to consult with an owl. The moon returns, and they learn about lunar eclipses. Knudsen narrates a straightforward tale, using age-appropriate language and dialogue. Topper and Lexington embody the quintessential playful curiosity of young cats and will appeal to children and adults alike. Their journey plays out moment-to-moment; the narrative is more languid than urgent, in keeping with the artistic focus and exploration of place. While there is quite a lot of text for young readers to work through, it is commensurate with the scope and detail of the Dewitts’ full-page illustrations. The dark palette and watercolor textures convey a striking sense of the world at night and often bleed through to the text pages, hinting at unseen spaces and larger landscapes. Perhaps the greatest strength of the Dewitts’ artwork lies in the backgrounds, as seen in an image of the night sky and clouded red moon with rippling waves and shadowy palm trees leaning in the distance; Topper and Lexington’s explorations come to life in no small part due to the richness of such settings.

A dreamy nighttime adventure capturing the wonder of the natural world.