Winner of the Kiekeboekprijs 2003 Best Pre-school Book in The Netherlands

	Find out about the other Mole and Friends books No Place Like Home, Diamond in the Snow, The Best Gift of All and A Secret Worth Sharing

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Illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

Mole thinks the moon is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, and he wants it. But as Rabbit, Hedgehog and Squirrel remind him, some things are not as simple - or as close - as they look!

"Imaginative picture layout is the perfect counterpoint to the lyrical text - a must read for younger children."

CAROUSEL

"Gentle, appealing illustrations and great read-aloud text"

Gwynneth Bailey, BOOKS FOR KEEPS

Read these and other reviews

Walker Books

UK Hardcover • ISBN-10: 0744575524 • ISBN-13: 9780744575521

UK Paperback • ISBN-10: 0744589509 • ISBN-13: 9780744589504

UK Paperback & DVD •ISBN-10: 1406323969 • ISBN-13: 9781406323962

UK Board Book • ISBN-10: 1844287947 • ISBN-13: 9781844287949

UK Mini Paperback • ISBN-10: 140630025X • ISBN-13: 9781406300253

Candlewick Press

US Hardcover • ISBN-10: 0763615773 • ISBN-13: 978-0763615772

US Board Book • ISBN-10: 0763642673 • ISBN-13: 978-0763642679

	iPhone App Featuring a narration by Kevin Whately View at iTunes Store Paperback with DVD Featuring a story animation narrated by Kevin Whately Click to enlarge Gift Pack Board book and soft toy

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Illustrations © 2001 Vanessa Cabban. Reproduced by permission of Walker Books Ltd., London .

Sometimes the idea for a story will spring into my mind fully-formed, but a lot of the time, I get an idea that doesn't work the way I think it should and I have to put it to one side and come back to it later. The story for "Bringing Down the Moon" was like this.

The first idea I came up with was for a story called "A Tower to the Moon" which was about a man who tries to reach the moon by building an enormous rickety tower. The tower gets taller and taller until it eventually topples over. But I wasn't happy with this story, the man's behaviour didn't feel right to me - why did he suddenly decide to do this, and why didn't he know that the moon is too far away.

I stuck the story in my "In Progress" folder and kept coming back to it every few months, but got no further with it until I hit upon the idea of making the main character a mole. A mole lives underground and might never have come across the moon before. And moles are short-sighted, so they might have difficulty judging distance. Then I remembered a picture of a mole that David Parkins had drawn as an incidental character for "Tick -Tock" - one of my favourite picture books. When I looked at this mole (who is determinedly riding a bicycle), my Mole's character and the rest of the story began to fall into place.

I decided that a tower was a bit too sophisticated for a mole, so he would build a ladder instead. I also thought that he would try a more straightforward approach first. So, to start with, I had him jumping up, poking and throwing things at the moon.

Next, I introduced some other characters for Mole to interact with. I liked the idea of these characters being woken-up, one by one, as Mole reached higher and higher. So I chose a rabbit that slept below ground, a hedgehog that slept on the ground and a squirrel that slept high up in a tree.

I often discuss story ideas with my son, Max. When I first told him this story (he was two years old at the time) I kept stopping and asking him what he thought Mole might do next. When I got to the bit just before Mole was going to build the ladder, I asked Max what he thought Mole would do - and Max suggested that he should climb a tree. This struck me as a much stronger and straightforward solution, so I decided to use it in the story. This is why the book is dedicated "To Max, for the use of his tree."

Walker Books bought the story and Vanessa Clarke, my editor there, set about turning it into a book. Finding the right illustrator was important. The story takes place at night, so a subtle use of light and colour was needed to bring the dark woodland world to life. Vanessa showed me some beautifully-toned illustrations that Vanessa Cabban had just done for another book and we quickly settled on her.

Like all good illustrators, Vanessa Cabban has enriched and extended the story. One of my favourite examples of this is her final end-paper illustration, which shows Mole staying up to admire the moon, long after his friends have gone back to bed.

	Kiekeboekprijs 2003   Photograph © 2003 Eerke de Haan, Biblionet Groningen The Dutch edition of "Bringing Down the Moon", entitled "Ik Wil De Maan", was awarded the Kiekeboekprijs for 2003. The Kiekeboekprijs is a book prize set up by an association of Dutch libraries and is awarded annually to what they consider to be the best Pre-school Book published in the Netherlands. Van Goor, the book's Dutch publisher, was generous enough to invite Vanessa Cabban and myself over to the Netherlands to pick up the award in September 2003. This is the first time that Vanessa and I had met or even spoken to each other*, and I'm pleased to say that we got along very well. The picture opposite was taken of us shortly after the ceremony. You can find more pictures at the Kiekeboekprijs web site. After the ceremony we saw a special performance of "Molletje an de maan" ("Mole and the Moon"), a lovely adaptation of the book produced by the Marionettentheater De Flierefluiter puppet theatre company. *Our Dutch publishers were amazed that Vanessa and I had never met and I suspect that this would come as a surprise to many people. However most UK picture books are produced without the author and illustrator ever communicating directly with each other.

	This book is for Max, for the use of his tree

"Hot diggety!" exclaims plump Mole when he sees the full moon for what is apparently the first time. And indeed, the moon is at its most fetching, glowing in the cobalt-blue night sky "like a bright silver coin." Mole spends the balance of the book engaged in sweetly comic attempts to pry the moon out of the sky. His woodland pals try to warn him off the plan, each one pointing out, "It's not as close as it looks." But that doesn't stop Mole from trying to leap for it, poke it, knock it down with acorns or simply grab it from a high tree branch. Finally, it dawns on him: the moon's beauty lies in the fact that everyone can enjoy it (and besides, Mole now notes sagely, "It's NOT as close as it looks!").
Author and artist seem ideally paired for this well-travelled but sweet tale. In Emmett's unadorned, gentle prose, Mole never seems the least bit avaricious he's just genuinely enchanted by the moon's ethereal beauty. As was true in her Down in the Woods at Sleepytime, Cabban's creatures radiate genuine affection for one another. Keeping the detailing in her settings to a minimum there's just enough to provide a proper stage for Mole's pratfalls - Cabban lets the luminescence of the sky and moon hold center stage. It's easy to see why Mole is so thoroughly captivated. Ages 3-6.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

There is no denying the sleep-inducing qualities of Emmett's bedtime tale, so tender and delicate it could be the Platonic ideal for gentleness, while Cabban's illustrations add the softness of a night warmed by moonlight. The story concerns a young mole, who pokes from his hole one night to be dazzled by a full moon. Thinking he must have it, he sets about trying to bring it down, first by jumping for it, then by poking at it with a stick, then by tossing acorns at it. With each attempt, he wakens citizens of the forest: a rabbit, a hedgehog, and a squirrel. They agree with Mole that the moon is a sight, but caution that "it's not as close as it looks." Undeterred, Mole clambers up a tree, only to tumble down when he stretches too far. Lo, there's the moon right there on the ground next to him (in a puddle that is, though Mole doesn't know any more about puddles than he does about the moon). He reaches for it and it shatters and disappears. Mole is heartbroken, until Rabbit, Hedgehog, and Squirrel point up into the sky, where the moon shines on, glorious and gratifying as it ever was. A sweet lesson in not getting what you want, yet getting what you need. (Picture book 2-5).

KIRKUS REVIEWS

A wonderful re-working of a classic tale. Mole thinks the moon is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen and he is determined to have it for himself. Of course bringing down the moon is not an easy business, but Mole is a resourceful creature. There are noisy bits and some delightful repetitive phrases just right for joining in. The strong, rhythmic and sure-footed text is complemented by warm and atmospheric illustrations.

Roy Apps, CAROUSEL

Mole's expressive 'Hot-diggerty!' is a memorable opening to this endearing book where text and pictures are admirably matched. Hanging above Mole's head is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, the moon. Determinedly, he tries to bring it down, waking Rabbit, Squirrel and Hedgehog ('What the weevil are you up to?') They all tell him the task is quite impossible. Finally Mole discovers the moon lying in a puddle and in wonderment he touches and shatters it... There is a lot to talk about in this book with its gentle, appealing illustrations and great read-aloud text. It is just right for young children becoming more familiar with the world around them.

Gwynneth Bailey, BOOKS FOR KEEPS

Ages 3-7. This funny fable about an overreaching little mole delivers a reassuring moral for contemporary kids who want "the moon." One night, when the ground and leaves are brightly tinged with silvery moonlight, Mole emerges from his hole, is moonstruck and decides that he wants "that shiny thing" in the sky. He jumps to get the moon, pokes at it with a stick, and then throws acorns at it, much to the amusement of his forest friends. When Mole shatters the moon's reflection by falling in a puddle, he's afraid he's destroyed the beautiful orb. His friends show him that all is still well and that some things are best enjoyed as they are. The comical, thought-provoking story gets a lift from Cabban's sweet art, which occasionally uses vertical panels to create a great cartoon effect.

Connie Fletcher, BOOKLIST

Mole is so fascinated by the sight of the full moon, that he tries to fetch it down out of the sky...
This delightful, simple story for 3 - 6 year-olds, with plenty of repetition and other opportunities for participation, lends itself well to drama, class assembly and other story-sharing situations. The language feels very 'natural', as if the story is being told rather than read, and the text is large, but would probably be too difficult for this age group to attempt to read alone. Beautifully bold illustrations cover the whole page, so they can be easily seen by group audiences or enjoyed by individuals. A large book (bigger than A4 size), this Hardcover version is easily held and will withstand time and rough treatment. Well worth the money.

Natalie Ford, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for the TEACHING of ENGLISH

Mole is mesmerized by the beauty of the full moon and tries to bring it down from the sky, but jumping up and down, swishing a stick, and throwing acorns fail to knock it from its place. Rabbit, Hedgehog, and Squirrel all shake their heads and tell Mole to give up: "It's not as close as it looks." But the little creature persists, climbing a tree to get closer. He falls from its limb into a puddle, where he sees the moon's reflection floating. But when he touches it, the moon breaks into pieces and disappears. Devastated, he thinks he has destroyed it forever. His friends point out that it is still up in the sky and Mole is joyous, finally ready to leave it in its place.
Dark blue skies and a glowing moon exude peace and serenity in this sweet book. Preschoolers will sympathize with Mole's attempts and sigh with contentment when they realize he has not ruined the treasure. The onomatopoeia scattered throughout makes this an appealing read-aloud. A pleasant, quiet offering.

Anne Knickerbocker, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

After Mole sees the moon and thinks it is the most beautiful thing in the world, he decides he must possess it. Capturing the moon, though, proves difficult as he discovers when he first tries to jump to the moon and then tries to poke it with a stick. A series of woodland creatures - a rabbit, a hedgehog, and a squirrel - remind Mole that some things "are not as simpler - or as close - as they look." At last, Mole believes he has succeeded but is crestfallen to realize that the moon he sees in the puddle may be "broken" because of his efforts to capture it. The ending is comforting, however, as the moon once again is back in the sky, and Mole and his friends admire it from afar. Soft illustrations add enchantment to this gentle bedtime story. Ages 4 to 8.

Valerie O. Patterson, CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Jonathan Emmett and Vanessa Cabban have created one of my favourite books this year: "Bringing Down the Moon". Mole crawls out of his tunnel for the first time and sees the most beautiful thing he has ever seen -- the moon -- and he wants it. He tries to pull it down, poke it down, climb a tree and pull it down, despite what his friends Squirrel, Rabbit and Hedgehog tell him: "It's not as close as it looks.".

Jill Johnson Keeney, THE COURIER JOURNAL, Louisville, Kentucky

This is a delightful story, which plays on the observations of the young.  The moon as we know is far away yet sometimes it appears not that far away.  In fact, perhaps - with a bit of a poke, a leap in the right direction or even by climbing a tree - surely it could be plucked from the sky?  Mole's determination is admirable but he soon learns, with the help of his woodland friends rabbit, hedgehog and squirrel, that bringing down the moon is not as easy as be thinks.  Enchanting.

Vicki Liddiard, BRISTOL EVENING POST

One night mole pops up out of his burrow and he sees the most extraordinary thing floating in the sky above his head. It is “the most beautiful” thing Mole has ever seen. He doesn’t know what big golden shining object is, but Mole decides that he has to have it. Mole jumps up and down, trying to grab the big glowing ball out of the night sky – to no avail. Rabbit explains that the “shiny thing” is the moon, and that it is “not as close as it looks.” Mole refuses to give up though. He is determined to make the moon his own.
In this delightful story, little children will meet a funny little mole who has a very single-minded approach to life. He is not very good at listening, until the truth finally sinks in – the hard way. With a lovely ending, this is a tale that will definitely charm readers of all ages.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW

One night, Mole happens to notice the full moon in the sky and is completely bewitched. He thinks it looks like a beautiful silver coin. And oh, how he would like to clutch that shiny coin tightly in his paw! Little Mole is naive enough to believe he can reach up and pull that moon right down. He hops and he leaps, but the only thing he manages to do is wake up poor Rabbit. Rabbit explains to him that the moon is not as close as it appears, but Mole is unshaken in his quest. He plots to poke the moon down with a long stick, only managing to poke Hedgehog instead. Then he attempts to knock it down with a volley of acorns - beware of Squirrel! Blast, this stubborn moon will not budge! How can something so beautiful be so unattainable? As a last ditch effort, Mole climbs a huge tree in an attempt to get closer. Just as he reaches out his furry arms to grab the moon, he plummets from the tree. Mole's battered friends console him and together they agree the moon is very beautiful, but will never be close enough to touch.
This is a sweet story with a cast of furry forest critters. Toddlers will get a great big giggle from watching Mole try to pull the moon down from the sky. Mole is very determined but his friends are equally as patient. This is a bit of a longer story for a board book*, which can sometimes be spare with words. A great read when your child is still into board books, but can also enjoy a more involved tale.

* This is a review of the board book edition.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE REVIEWS - KIDS

Bringing Down the Moon is a simple story delightfully told about a naïve little mole who, upon burrowing out of the ground one evening, saw the moon for the very first time. He was so overcome by the moon's beauty that he decided then and there that he wanted it for himself. He tried all kinds of strategies in his efforts to acquire it, but he soon realised that the task was not easy and he would not heed the advice of his friends Rabbit, Hedgehog and Squirrel. When climbing a tree to try to get nearer to his beautiful moon, he fell, the moon passed behind a cloud, and mole thought he had broken it. However, don't worry: the story has a joyful ending and Mole is happy once again! This is an enchanting book: the illustrations are captivating - all the pages are night blue, making the whole book really come to life (three years and above).

Susan Naylor, AMAZON.CO.UK

A beautifully illustrated tale which tells the story of a determined little Mole so desperate to catch the moon that he fails to heed the advice of his furry friends, and goes to great lengths to achieve the impossible. This is bedtime story material at it's best and the cover has a mole on the front poking a stick at the moon - what more could you possible want?

Jamie Hancock, OTTAKAR'S

 “Hot diggerty!” exclaimed Mole as he burrowed out of the ground one night. “Whatever’s that?” The moon was hanging in the sky above him like a bright silver coin. Mole thought that it was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. 
The opening to this story is breathtaking in its simplicity. For the very young everything is a new experience and there are lots of firsts and this is why Mole and his first view of the moon are so appealing, because he is very easy to identify with. ‘Hot diggerty!’ is sure to become a new catch-phrase, wonderfully comic language and characteristics are developed as the story progresses. The size of the book is perfect and the illustrations of the moon, trees and Mole’s habitat shows the scale of the world through Mole’s eyes, mirroring how a child sees the world in a subtle and interesting manner.
The use of onomatopoeia is as ever very appealing as is the use of rhyme. The colours of the night sky remain the same throughout the book, creating the sense of a secret glimpse at the world at night which children will delight in. There is the sense of sharing an after bedtime adventure with Mole and discovering his friends who are asleep and then waking them up will cause great amusement. Mole’s persistence will cause much admiration in the readers of this book, he strives and tries and works very hard at trying to harness the moon.
The illustrations and the text are perfectly paired resulting in a most enjoyable, informative and entertaining read. A pure joy to read aloud as the use of language has been carefully and lovingly thought through, creating the most adorable little character who cannot fail but to evoke warmth and recognition in the young reader.

Rhian Tracey, TOP READS

Set in an enchanted, moonlit forest, Emmett's sweet story features a quizzical mole and his quest to pull the moon down for himself. As he jumps, the other animals tell him it's not as close as it looks, but nonetheless watch as he throws acorns, climbs trees and pokes sticks to try to grab the moon. When he falls into a puddle and sees his moon-like face as a reflection, the mole thinks he's succeeded, but finally appreciates the moon's beauty and distance.
Superbly written, this lovely bedtime tale should entrance.

Lee Littlewood, KID'S HOME LIBRARY

* Winner of the Kiekeboekprijs 2003 (Best Pre-school Book in The Netherlands)

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