The Boy and the Blue Moon

Sara O’Leary and Ashley Crowley’s The Boy and the Blue Moon is a magical little tale about a boy and his cat going on a nighttime adventure to the moon. O’Leary is well-known for the “Henry” books When You Were Small, Where You Came From, and When I Was Small. This story differs from these previous works and draws on the science fiction trope of space travel. However, there are no aliens, rocket ships or astronauts; rather, this space journey is powered by imagination and wishes.

O’Leary does not immediately transport the boy and his cat to the moon. Instead, she takes the reader on a long journey across the field, through the forest, and onto a lake before finally making it to the moon. In doing so, she lulls the reader into a dreamlike rhythm. O’Leary’s style is grounded in the tradition of oral storytelling. It is as if she is sitting next to your bed creating and telling you the story. Her informal prose feels cozy, intimate and authentic: “The trees of the forest were blue as well, and somewhere high in the branches, something was singing. It might have been birds or it might have been dragons” (p. 7). By introducing ambiguity in her line, “might have been birds or... dragons”, O’Leary plants the seed for the fantastical journey that is to come.

O’Leary’s prose pairs well with Crowley’s illustrations. Drawing on the title of the book, Crowley uses a water brush pen to apply deep blue ink in her [his] picture. The blurred, watery blue creates an ethereal sense of movement, especially in the cat’s sinuous stretches and prowls. Crowley also uses red pastel for a pop of colour in the mostly blue, black and white illustrations. The boy’s red vest becomes a red, pajama-like space suit when he travels to the moon. As lovely as her [his] landscapes are, Crowley always places the boy and his cat as the focal points of her illustrations. Whether they are flying, striding, or rowing together, the joyous friendship between the boy and his cat is emphasized.

On the Moon, the boy and his cat have a marvellous time throwing rocks and admiring the beautiful blue Earth, but, at last, the travelers realize that their real home is in their cozy house on Earth: “The boy looked and looked and thought he could see the yellow porch light twinkling, but perhaps it was just a star” (p. 25). This change in tempo, from the thrilling experience of a new place to the sweet longing for home, signals a clear denouement, and O’Leary quickly returns the travelers to their warm beds.

The Boy and the Blue Moon is a wonderful bedtime story for young dreamers and adventurers. O’Leary’s prose is natural and easy to read aloud, and Crowley’s illustrations are peaceful and fantastical.