ABEL'S MOON (International Author)

Hughes, Shirley, ABEL’S MOON.1999. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 0789446014

Summary

Abe Grable must travel with his work and when he comes home he tells his family of his travels. When he leaves home again his boys Noah and Adam use an old table in the backyard and their imaginations to make adventures of their own. When Abel returns again and shares his adventures the boys share theirs as well.

Critical Analysis

ABEL’S MOON was simultaneously published in Great Britain and the United States. There are very few cultural markers that I was able to discover. The clothing might be somewhat British with the younger boy wearing suspenders and a rather bowled haircut. I also noted that the illustrations included cups with the children’s snacks versus the glasses that we might see in the United States. This makes me consider the English tea rather than other drinks that the children might have here. Dad’s hat has somewhat of a British flair as well. Otherwise the vibrant watercolors of Ms. Hughes add depth to the text of the book. The illustrations follow the rather care-free life of the mother and children often left to their own devices since father is away much of the time with his work. The fictional characters of this family could have been those of any family whose father travels with his work. Although not ethnically cultural it is noticed that the father has some problems adjusting to the rambunctious children while he is at home. Although it is obvious that he loves the family very much it must be an adjustment each time he returns home to the boisterous family. This is shown both in the remarks from the father for a quiet time as well as the carefree, cluttered illustrations. I did not find any markings in this book that would be offensive to a cultural group.

Reviews

From Publishers Weekly: Hughes (the Alfie books) once again uses small, everyday moments to craft a powerful story. To find work, Abel Grable must journey far and wide, leaving his wife and three boisterous boys. But when each job is over, he returns to his family and regales everyone with the fantastic adventures he's had. After one such trip, Abel decides to record some of his stories, moving an old table out into the garden to find some quiet in which to write. When Abel leaves again, his boys take comfort in both the stories he's left behind and those they create themselves, using their imaginations to convert his writing table into a campsite, a boat and then a machine for flying to the moon. Hughes's direct, unadorned prose gives both substance and depth to this wisp of a story line, as do her trademark watercolor illustrations, both beautiful and comforting in their sturdy, homey detail. The loneliness and longing created by a parent's absence are never explicitly mentioned; they quietly inform text and art as well as the story's interplay between fantasy and reality. Keeping sentimentality at bay, Hughes's restraint gives the characters' emotions unusual resonance.

From School Library Journal: After Abel Grable returns from working out of the country, he tells his wife and sons all about his adventures. He describes camping out in jungles and taking supplies by riverboat to people in places with no electricity, with only the moon to guide the way. Because the boys love hearing these stories so much, Abel decides to record them. Finding it too noisy to work inside, he takes a table out in the yard, and writes for many hours. Then he goes off again. Using the table at which he wrote, Noah and Adam re-create their father's adventures or pretend that the table is a machine that can take them to the moon. That night, Adam realizes that the same moon is shining on him and on Abel, and on all people who love one another but can't be together. And, he imagines all the wonderful stories he will have to tell his father about his adventures. Hughes's deceptively plain writing style packs a subtle emotional wallop. Youngsters will appreciate the loving family, and enjoy the children's imaginative play. Hughes's humorous watercolor illustrations are at their best here. They effectively depict the luminous moonlight and the characters' changing feelings. They also make the little ordinary family treasures and clutter an important part of the narrative. The text and art fit beautifully together to create a moving story that can be appreciated on many levels.

Connections

Students could write and share an adventure story of their own.

There are many other books by this author; unfortunately my local library does not have many of her titles. One title that I enjoyed was ELLA’S BIG CHANCE: A JAZZ-AGE CINDERELLA. Although this would not be considered an “international book” since it is a version of the classic fairytale CINDERELLA it was entertaining.