One of the things I get to do at Island Books, a thing which frequently receives less attention in our Book Notes, is choosing some of the picture books for our kid’s section. Initially I wasn’t sure how to decide what would be a good fit. But over the years and with the hundreds of picture books I’ve now read, I’ve learned there is often an instinctual response — to the words, to the artwork — that tells me: yes, this one.
If the Moon, with words by Matthew Burgess and art by Matthew Forsythe, is just such a picture book. No surprise with such well-known and well-respected creators. Matthew Burgess is the writer of the 2026 Caldecott Medal Winner, Fireworks, among others. And Matthew Forsythe is the writer and illustrator of Aggie and the Ghost, Pokko and the Drum, and one of my personal favorites, Mina.
The text of If the Moon follows a child trying to sleep who is interrupted by the “if” of it all. With words beautifully balanced between rhyme and alliteration and illustrations flowing from page to page, If the Moon will be perfect for those kids needing a soothing entry into sleep. There’s enough action to engage those night-time zoomies and then gently quiet it down to a soft conclusion. No gender is mentioned in the text, so any child can see themselves in the story.
Matthew Forsythe’s illustrations are fresh and also timeless. His work has a simplicity that is restful in the lines of repetition, but with inviting visual interest that keeps the eye moving around the page. Space is used in a unique way, featuring transitional pages as well as full page spreads. Nearly every page has a different layout. As the child moves deeper into their imagination, the illustrations take up more and more of the page, immersing you in worlds that are increasingly expansive, until we softly return to home, to bed. From where I stand, If the Moon has the potential to become a modern classic.
— Lori, Island Books, Mercer Island, WA
