The Big Moon Cake with Little Stars is a book work by Lin Peisi, an American Chinese children's literature writer and illustrator.

when it comes to the moon, we can always think of all kinds of beautiful things. Flowers are full and the moon is full, Chang 'e Jade Rabbit. In what way can the romance in China's traditional stories be conveyed to children?

Author: Lin Peisi

American Chinese children's literature writer and illustrator, who has created more than 21 picture books and youth novels for children so far. Among them, The Fairy Tale on a Moonlit Night won the Silver Award in the Newbury Children's Literature Award, Lingling and Tingting won the Silver Award in Dr. Seuss, and When the Sea is Silver, it won the Silver Award in the National Book Award.

Most of Lin Peisi's works are about the life experiences of Asian Americans. She believes that "books can eliminate prejudice, turn the unusual into daily life, make ordinary life full of amorous feelings, and make different cultures accepted by the public." In 2116, Lin Peisi's works were exhibited in the White House, and she was awarded the title of "Pioneer of Art and Story Creation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders" by then President Obama.

picture book content

Xiaoxing's mother hangs the big moon cake just baked in the air to let it cool down.

Mother said, "Little Star, it took us a long time to finally bake this moon cake for you. Now let me see if you can keep it a little longer. You can't touch this big moon cake without mom's permission, remember? " "Remember, Mom!"

Xiaoxing always remembers her mother's words, no matter when brushing her teeth, washing her face or lying in bed. But just after midnight, the little star woke up.

if she takes a small bite on the moon cake, will mom notice? Little star thinks not. Mmm ... It's delicious!

night after night, the little star will take a small bite on the big moon cake, one after another.

until one day, the round, shiny moon cake disappeared! Only a series of twinkling little crumbs were scattered on the ground.

"Little star!" Mom shook her head and said, but her mouth was slightly rising. "You ate the big moon cake again, didn't you!"

Xiaoxing looked up and smiled like her mother. "Yes, Mom." Little stars and dots. "Let's do another piece! "

Appreciation of picture books

Feel the romanticism in traditional stories.

The Big Moon Cake with Little Stars, as a picture book of the 2119 Cadillac Silver Award, won 15 book awards and honors.

The picture book skillfully combines the change of the moon phase with the traditional custom of eating moon cakes, and deduces the romanticism in the traditional story by the way of coexistence of reality and reality, which makes people unable to help reading it again and again.

Then why is the picture book "Big Moon Cake with Little Stars" called a romantic picture book with imagination and reality? We must first understand what are the characteristics of romantic literature.

Romantic literature is used to contrast, exaggeration and imagination, seeking strong artistic effects and unusual plots.

comparison of romantic elements.

The picture book uses an extremely rare pure black background, bright moon cakes and sparkling starlight crumbs, which are particularly eye-catching in the dark.

Xiaoxing and her mother are wearing pajamas with the same pattern of stars on a black background. The black background is almost integrated with the night, but the pattern of stars all over her body strongly shows Xiaoxing and her mother.

the exaggeration of romantic elements.

The story begins with Xiaoxing and his mother making a big moon cake. Mother and Xiaoxing agreed not to steal food, Xiaoxing promised seriously, turned his head and couldn't resist the fragrance of moon cakes, and ate them all in one bite.

How big are the moon cakes made by Xiaoxing and his mother? As big as a small star holding a moon cake, it can only show its small head and limbs; When the moon cakes are hung in the air to cool, they are just like the moon in the sky; It was so big that Xiaoxing didn't know how many nights she had to secretly eat it before she completely finished eating this big moon cake.

The moon cakes are very similar in color and shape to the moon. If they can be exaggerated, wouldn't they be another "moon"?

the imagination of romantic elements.

Imaginary behaviors such as "touching the moon" and "eating the moon" in picture books could not have been realized originally, but "Big Moon Cake with Little Star" changed the moon in the sky into moon cakes on the ground by the similarity of meaning, shape and color, which rationalized all the behaviors of Little Star.

Moon cakes are like the moon, beautifully and brightly hung in the night sky, and even have irresistible delicious temptations! Although Xiaoxing agreed not to move the big moon cake, she was still tempted by the food and ate all the big moon cakes.

Eating the moon bite by bite is very similar to the legendary "Tiangou eats the moon"-lunar eclipse. The traditional story in my memory is presented romantically and interestingly by the way the author eats moon cakes with little dolls.

Little Star's playful response and the heart between mother and daughter will show stability and affection to the fullest. The playful depiction of picture books shows us the romanticism in traditional stories and the childlike interest in children's world.

Inclusive love is the emboldened spirit of children.

under the temptation of the delicious mooncake, Xiaoxing failed to keep her agreement with her mother, and ate the mooncake one after another, leaving only the crumbs like stars and her beloved bunny doll.

Let's go back to the beginning of the story. From the beginning, my mother's expectation for Xiaoxing was to "keep the moon cakes for a long time".

In the face of her mother's request that "you can't touch moon cakes without permission", Xiaoxing always asks herself when eating moon cakes: "If I secretly take a bite, my mother should not find out."

If children are not brought up with full care, they will not be as "bold" as Xiaoxing. Then my mother's reaction also verified this to us.

Mom found out the truth along with the crumbs of moon cakes, and she said reproachful words, but there was a slight smile on her face, which showed that mom was not really angry about stealing moon cakes.

The word "You" indicates that Xiaoxing's "stealing food" is not the first time. In the face of her mother's question, Xiaoxing smiled like her mother and admitted generously: "Yes, mom, let's make another piece!" " The mother and daughter went to make new moon cakes again.

In fact, we don't have to worry about children making mistakes, and even give them more room to make mistakes. In fact, there are not many big things in life, but small things continue. The tolerant love from parents is the "unbridled confidence" of children who dare to try and are not afraid of trial and error.

what a pity it would be if children dare not try and make mistakes, parents can't tolerate and forgive, and the love between parents and children is consumed in all kinds of trivial things.

the front cover and the back cover are combined into a picture.

The picture book "Big Moon Cake with Little Stars" consists of three parts: the picture book itself, the protective cover and the waist cover, and each part plays an important role in the cover of the picture book.

The cover of The Big Moon Cake with Little Stars is a big moon cake. A little girl is eating the moon cake intently. The big cake surface directly covers the little girl's body, leaving only her limbs and a small head.

If it can be used as a bookmark of a picture book, the seal is a part of the cover picture, and there are words recommended by many picture books.

The biggest mystery of the picture book lies in taking off the protective cover. The cover of the picture book is a brand-new picture: six little girls are eating moon cakes. Unfolding the cover and back cover of the picture book, we will find that it is actually a cross-page comic book!

Little star eats moon cakes, and eats them into a crescent shape from round to round. The twelve pictures that change continuously show the whole process of the little star eating moon cakes, and it is also a serial change of the eclipse!

spread details

The most detailed picture in the book is the spread of moon cakes before and after the picture book.

There is a cake crust of Zhang greatly on the spacious table, and Xiaoxing and her mother are absorbed in making moon cakes. The picture is warm and harmonious.

if we carefully observe the objects in the picture, we can easily find many details.

The fallen milk on the cupboard forms a milky vortex in the drawer.

Seasonings and small pendants appear everywhere, symbolizing the constellations in the night sky.

There are two bears, one big and one small, on the shelf, which not only symbolizes the constellation Ursa major, but also pays tribute to the classic picture book Little Seltzer Picking Blueberries.

The clock on the wall with a deep black background makes people wonder whether it is 12 noon or midnight.

The specific numerical values on the clock are replaced by the moon phase diagram with the change of round and round, which is consistent with the core of the picture book.

The book sevensisters on the chair tells the traditional story of the Seven Fairies.

The steamer and teapot on the shelf, the rolling pin and the small stone mortar on the desktop all have strong oriental colors.

story cycle

the cross-page moon phase picture composed of the front cover and the back cover of the picture book is also presented in the second half of the picture book. The story begins with Xiaoxing and his mother making moon cakes and ends with making new moon cakes.

Little Star's Big Moon Cake has been missing from the circle regularly, and then it starts from the circle again after it disappears. This setting also turns Little Star's Big Moon Cake into a picture book that can be circulated indefinitely.

reading suggestions

The Big Moon Cake with Little Stars takes the little girl's perspective as the starting point, combines the beautiful moon with the child's love of eating, and compares "eating moon cakes" with "eating moon cakes", which fully satisfies children's novelty and appetite, and is suitable for children aged 4 and above.

The picture book has no twists and turns, but quietly tells the warm daily life of making and eating moon cakes between a mother and daughter. The author uses gouache to paint, which renders a unique Chinese soft aesthetic feeling.

The moon-like moon cake is the most shining thing in the whole darkness, especially when the little star wakes up in the middle of the night and plans to have a taste of it. The little star appeared on the screen with half a face, and her bright eyes looked up quietly. Huang Chengcheng and bright moon cakes occupied most of the screen and caught the reader's eye at once.

Little Star, who succeeded in "stealing food", ran back to bed before her mouth could be wiped clean, much like a naughty child. I believe that this lively and lovely little star can give children a great sense of substitution.

Parents just need to relax and enjoy the stories in the picture book with their children. Everything about love and the moon will naturally be passed on to their children.