A CLOAK FOR THE MOON
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kimmel, Eric. 2001. A CLOAK FOR THE MOON. Ill by Katya KIremina. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN 0823414930
PLOT SUMMARY
In this mystical story, Haskel, a tailor who lives in Tzafat (a city in Israel), goes to his rooftop every night to gaze at the beautiful moon. One night, he has a dream in which the moon tells him that she is very cold and that she wishes for him to make her a cloak to keep warm. When Haskel awakes, he declares "Dream or not, I will keep my promise and I will sew the moon a cloak of shining silver thread and all the stars will envy her." He goes to his uncle, a master tailor, to ask for help. But, his uncle tells him to "stop chasing dreams." Haskel then learns of a magical thread made of beams of light that will stretch and shrink to fit its wearer perfectly. So, he goes in search of this fabric knowing that it will be perfect for the moon to wear as she waxes and wanes. He travels afar to China and eventually to a city named The Roof of the World where a princess needs help mending her wedding dress made of beams of light. Nobody in town knows the secret of spinning the thread, but Haskel discovers that focusing moonlight on the thread through his magnifying dress makes the thread weave itself. He mends the princess's dress and is given some of the thread as a reward. On his journey home he weaves the thread each night by the moonlight. When he arrives back home, the magical cloak is complete and he delivers it to the moon just as he promised he would.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this book, Kimmel, retells this mystical and enchanting folktale beautifully. He captures the spiritual feeling and culture with his elegant words. The themes of determination to keep a promise and of following your dreams are prevalent in this story. The story also implies that part of chasing your dreams is about embracing the journey along the way. Haskel is an ordinary person that is able to achieve an impossible dream!
The illustrations are gouache paintings that enhance the story perfectly. Krenina captures the Far Eastern settings with vivid colors and beautiful landscapes. She also is able to depict the magical qualities in the story successfully.
In this mystical story, Haskel, a tailor who lives in Tzafat (a city in Israel), goes to his rooftop every night to gaze at the beautiful moon. One night, he has a dream in which the moon tells him that she is very cold and that she wishes for him to make her a cloak to keep warm. When Haskel awakes, he declares "Dream or not, I will keep my promise and I will sew the moon a cloak of shining silver thread and all the stars will envy her." He goes to his uncle, a master tailor, to ask for help. But, his uncle tells him to "stop chasing dreams." Haskel then learns of a magical thread made of beams of light that will stretch and shrink to fit its wearer perfectly. So, he goes in search of this fabric knowing that it will be perfect for the moon to wear as she waxes and wanes. He travels afar to China and eventually to a city named The Roof of the World where a princess needs help mending her wedding dress made of beams of light. Nobody in town knows the secret of spinning the thread, but Haskel discovers that focusing moonlight on the thread through his magnifying dress makes the thread weave itself. He mends the princess's dress and is given some of the thread as a reward. On his journey home he weaves the thread each night by the moonlight. When he arrives back home, the magical cloak is complete and he delivers it to the moon just as he promised he would.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this book, Kimmel, retells this mystical and enchanting folktale beautifully. He captures the spiritual feeling and culture with his elegant words. The themes of determination to keep a promise and of following your dreams are prevalent in this story. The story also implies that part of chasing your dreams is about embracing the journey along the way. Haskel is an ordinary person that is able to achieve an impossible dream!
The illustrations are gouache paintings that enhance the story perfectly. Krenina captures the Far Eastern settings with vivid colors and beautiful landscapes. She also is able to depict the magical qualities in the story successfully.
EXCERPTS
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY:
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY:
Expertly pacing the story, Kimmel embroiders his prose with graceful details, writing of "radiant satins
[and] silks like colored water." The exotic trappings will lure readers,
replacing Haskel's determination to keep his promise as the central theme of the
work. Intermittently embellished by borders and spot art featuring delicate
flower motifs, Krenina's gouache art effectively depicts the Middle and Far
Eastern settings of the tale, as well as its timeless sensibility.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:
This unique, beautifully written story is enhanced by vividly colored, luminous gouache paintings of equal quality.-Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA.
BOOKLIST:
Impossible dreams and magical desires fulfilled by dint of persistence and unwavering belief underlie this lovely narrative. GraceAnne DeCandido, ALA.
CONNECTIONS
I think that this story could be used in many lessons regarding character and values. It is a good story to use to teach children the value of never giving up, following through on your promises and of following your dreams. It shows that determination can help drive a person to be successful in whatever they want to achieve.
Other folktales about values:
In Rabbi Edward M. Feinstein's collection of folktales, CAPTURING THE MOON, we can find other stories about values and character. Stories in this collection of classic and modern folktales include: "What Really Matters in Life?", "Doing What s Right," "It s Up to You," "Teachers and Friends," and "Hidden Truths."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:
This unique, beautifully written story is enhanced by vividly colored, luminous gouache paintings of equal quality.-Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA.
BOOKLIST:
Impossible dreams and magical desires fulfilled by dint of persistence and unwavering belief underlie this lovely narrative. GraceAnne DeCandido, ALA.
CONNECTIONS
I think that this story could be used in many lessons regarding character and values. It is a good story to use to teach children the value of never giving up, following through on your promises and of following your dreams. It shows that determination can help drive a person to be successful in whatever they want to achieve.
Other folktales about values:
In Rabbi Edward M. Feinstein's collection of folktales, CAPTURING THE MOON, we can find other stories about values and character. Stories in this collection of classic and modern folktales include: "What Really Matters in Life?", "Doing What s Right," "It s Up to You," "Teachers and Friends," and "Hidden Truths."
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