257 pages
Grades 3-6
Graphic Novel
Anya lives in a special village dependent on the moon moths, who give this nocturnal place life and substance. In turn, a keeper must take care of these important moths every night until the big yearly ceremony, when they nourish the village for another year. Anya has always dreamed of being a moth keeper. It is a lonely and solitary life, but she thinks that she is a good fit. Finally, the day arrives and Yeolen, the present keeper, takes her on as an apprentice and she learns the ways of the calling. Anya works hard and is eventually trusted to take over on her own to give Yeolen a much needed break. The nights are long and lonely and Anya secretly is curious about how the day-folk live. One morning after getting her moths to bed she visits the day village and sees for herself the culture of the day-folk, as she is welcomed in and makes new friends. Unfortunately, this makes her tired for the next evening's shift and the worst happens when Anya falls asleep on the job. The moths escape only days before the yearly ceremony. What will the village do if the moths can't be found?
I was inspired to read this new graphic novel after just getting lost in the author's popular Tea Dragon trilogy. This new novel is different in form and story, yet still channels an imaginary world and is drawn in the artist's lush and colorful style. Much of the plot is told in images, using text only sparingly, conveying the isolation felt by Anya during her long dark nights. A sense of community is predominant throughout the story and it is with a sigh of relief when Anya leans into them. The poor thing has too much on her young shoulders and, with the exception of a kind friend, seems to be on her own with no visible family. By book's end, the day and night villages finally meet and become friends, which is a wonderful and peaceful message. With environmental undertones, readers will be inspired to care for the landscape and creatures around them. Backmatter includes an author's note explaining her original desert inspiration and early drawings. A magical story to lead us all on a bright path through dark times.
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