Ruth Amanda’s Island Moon is a magical moment captured in a poem.
The narrator lives on an island where the moon sings of fairies and the magic of the night. While out on a nighttime walk, the narrator breathes in the island scents and hears the waves kissing the shore. In the froth of the waves, and in the moon’s magical light reflecting on the water, the narrator sees the fairies dancing.
While describing all the animals active during nighttime, the narrator sees a tired sea turtle coming ashore to lay eggs. The moon blesses the creature, calling in the tide to aid the exhausted turtle back home to the sea. The songs of the night birds and the rays of the moon’s light follow the narrator back to bed and into their dreams.
The rhyming of the poem and illustrations are truly beautiful. In a few short lines and pages, you are transported to a tranquil night on the island of Barbados.
Many readers will find comfort in the perfectly captured quiet peacefulness of night. Ruth Amanda herself calls the island of Barbados home and draws inspiration for her writing every day, even carrying around a notebook for when an idea strikes.
The lively illustrations are also by Ruth Amanda, and her creativity shines throughout them.
Readers will see all the active nighttime animals going about lives, from the curious green lizards climbing on the window blinds to the tired sea turtle coming ashore to lay her eggs.
At the end of the story, Ruth includes a fact sheet about Barbados and the animals from the story, giving context to the story and teaching readers about her home island.
Whether it is read as a bedtime story or on a lazy afternoon, young and old alike will adore Ruth Amanda’s Island Moon.
In Nutshell Regatta by Jonna Laster, the narrator’s grandmother reveals adventures in nature that could easily be missed without her watchful eye.
The Little Peeps Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Early Readers. The Little Peeps Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).
