I WANT TO GO TO THE MOON https://ift.tt/J5Po4nL

The scent of a generous wedge of Swiss cheese enraptures a small rodent narrator. The mouse asserts that “everyone should take risks” and that cheese is worth risking “everything!” for. But this chunk sits on a restaurant table, and as our hero darts forth, people panic, and a broom-wielding headwaiter ousts the protagonist. So, “another day without cheese.” Then a poster depicting a big round golden moon convinces the mouse that Earth’s satellite is really the legendary “magical cheese mountain.” The protagonist begins planning before making blueprints, gathering supplies, building a rocket, sewing a spacesuit, testing, and setting forth. Surprisingly, the mouse turns out to be an ace welder and electrician. (No tiny safety glasses, though.) In mere months, everything, including a whole command center, is complete, and our hero rockets to a fanciful playland on a golden surface, where other rodent astronauts have gathered. Is the moon truly made of cheese? With all heads encased in clear helmets, no one is nibbling. But the text leaves no doubt that “dreams are always possible. Especially far-off dreams in the sky.” Zhang’s enchantingly shadowy, atmospheric art is often lit with golden highlights. Some readers might find the message a pure fantasy endorsing limitless “wanting,” while others will applaud the mouse’s indefatigable work ethic; all will be charmed.

from Kirkus Reviews https://ift.tt/sPSDoB9