Book Review -'A Big Mooncake for Little Star' by Grace Lin

The best retelling of 'Goodnight Moon' ever.

'A Big Mooncake for Little Star' - such a simple bedtime story, but so tasty! And it's about the moon phases, cooking and eating sweet things, Asian and Chinese culture, and mother-and-daughter bonds. If I ever have a daughter, or if I am ever tasked with reading to very young children, but especially little toddler girls, then this will definitely be my first choice of reading at bedtime.

The mother and daughter in this case being technically (metaphorically?) goddesses - of the moon and stars and the rest of space - is another huge bonus.

'A Big Mooncake for Little Star' has a sort of nostalgic, timeless, airy, nighttime feel to it. I can imagine it would have stuck in my mind (like twinkling crumbs on my licked fingers) forever, if I had read it at an age when I was just learning to read.

There is also a sort of, maybe message in it about encouraging and condoning naughtiness, but it's cute, memorable, delightful and delicious, so who cares? On its own it won't magically make children want to be naughty. There's enough magic contained within its story.

I had already loved Grace Lin's other works, most notably the children's fairy tale novel 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon', and now, upon reading this picture book by her, I can confidently confirm that it is another glorious, sparkling win in her bibliography.

'A Big Mooncake for Little Star' - a short, sweet, simple, sleepy, starry, stunning, scrumptious thing.

Mooncakes!

Final Score: 4/5