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Ladder To The Moon With CD (2012)

by Maya Soetoro-Ng(Favorite Author)

3.49 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

076366006X (ISBN13: 9780763660062)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Candlewick Press

review 1: Selection for Caldecott Medal: I believe this book, Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng and illustrated by Yuyi Morales should be awarded a Caldecott Medal for the beautiful artwork and excellent interpretation and representation of the story. In regards to artistic technique, the brush strokes in every painting show softness and movement. The people in the story are painted with soft curves that seem to flow from one to the next in a continuous connected manner. Colors are bright, yet soft and add to the tone of the story as the afterlife as some calm, wistful place close by and still far away. The bright white dots in several paintings of the sky seem to sparkle just like stars. Images reflect a deep understanding of both the story and overall theme of the book. In... more the illustrations, the artist included beautiful interpretations of key details including the golden ladder to the moon, the grandmother becoming larger than life, the frail great grandmother and the child of the corn. The children painted in fairy like wings flying out of the water, the sailboat of newspaper and the woven spiral of stairs connecting the grandmother with two troubled sisters give the story an air of peaceful dreaminess. In the illustrator notes, Morales describes her inspiration for subtle details like the caring dog from the Aztecs and the traditions of telling stories around a fire. The book jacket includes the image of a dog in the stars, representing the Aztec belief that a dog is a “companion for life and again on the journey of death.” The close feelings of family are also captured in one painting of the grandmother and child looking toward earth and are reminiscent of a Madonna and Christ painting by Raphael. The thought of a loved one who has passed on may seem frightening to some children, but the images in this picture book portray a loving and welcoming grandmother whose spirit still loves and teaches from beyond. The artwork is soothing and happy, evoking the feeling you should have when you are with ones you love. An understanding that we all share this earth together and should help one another is captured in both the artwork of the people from various religious background praying and in the campfire painting where the characters are spending time together sharing stories in different languages. I believe this book should be awarded a Caldecott Medal for the beautiful artwork and excellent interpretation and representation of the story.
review 2: I am apparently not deep enough to understand the symbolism of this story. I thought it was confusing and weird and too wordy. And it is supposed to be for kids?? Written by President Obama's half sister and based on real people, this book tells the story of a grandmother and granddaughter opening their minds, arms, and hearts to people everywhere. In a dream, Suhaila meets her grandmother Annie who takes Suhaila on an adventure to different people and places around the world. The focus of the story was the idea of uniting loved ones lost with those below. Honestly, I didn't get it. It was confusing, wordy, and a little bit strange. I wasn't a fan of the illustrations either. I'd be surprised if kids loved it....or even liked it. Was it a fable, fairy-tale, myth? less

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