The Moon Inside

By: Sandra Feder
Illustrated by: Aimée Sicuro
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Publication Date: September 2016
ISBN: 978-1554988235
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: October 17, 2016

Ella loved the daytime - the fun things she could do, the birds chirping, and the bright sunshine. Best of all, her favorite color, yellow, was everywhere during the day. But every night when darkness came, Ella grew afraid.

Each evening, as darkness approached, Ella would lead her mother from room to room, and turn on as many lights as she could. It was her attempt to keep the darkness out of the house as long as possible. Ella wanted her favorite color, and the sun that shared that color, to stay because yellow made her happy. But darkness was scary.

Ella's mother decided it was time to help her daughter get over her fear of the dark. With gentle guidance, she brought her daughter outside at dusk to see the wonders that came out at night. Ella saw the playful fireflies with their yellow bellies, she heard the crickets chirp and noticed the big, yellow-golden moon. Would it be enough to get over her fear of the dark?

The Moon Inside tackles one of those very common childhood phobias that so many parents have to deal with - fear of the dark. Without lecturing, author Sandra Feder tenderly guides her young readers on a tour of the night. She shows children some of the wonderful nighttime events (such as fireflies and a big, bright moon), which may help lessen their fear. Children will share Ella's enchantment with the various animals she sees at dusk as well as enjoy the glow of the golden moon. With a strong emphasis on the color yellow throughout, the illustrations add a lovely gentle feel to the entire story. If you have a child afraid of the dark, consider adding The Moon Inside to your bedtime reading collection.

Quill says: A sweet bedtime story to help children overcome their fear of the dark.