The Nocturnals: The Moonlight Meeting Book Review

Tobin the pangolin awakens one evening to the smell of a sweet pomelo.  Following the scent, he reaches the golden fruit and prepares to take a bite.  The pangolin soon realizes that he is not alone.

A strange creature leaps down from the trees above claiming that Tobin is a thief.  Feeling threatened, Tobin  releases a smelly gas.  The two begin to quarrel when the bushes suddenly start to rustle.  Could the pair be in even bigger trouble than they thought?

I love this first installment in The Nocturnals Grow and Read Early Readers Program series.  Tracey Hecht and Rumur Dowling's characters are enchanting.  I especially love how each character has his/her own distinct personality.  I definitely felt a wide arrange of emotions while reading this story.  My heart ached for poor Tobin.  I laughed at Bismark and I could totally relate to Dawn's serenity and wisdom.

Waymond Singleton's illustrations are truly captivating.  Each creature is beyond adorable and has his/her own specific facial expressions.  While the story takes place at night, Singleton makes wonderful use of white space and does not make the illustrations too dark.

This is a wonderful read for children ages 5-9.  They will fall in love with the kindly characters and the mysteriousness of a nighttime setting.  I cannot wait to read the next book in The Nocturnals series.