Book 243

Meg on the Moon, written by Helen Nicoll, illustrated by Jan Pienkowski, Penguin Book 1973.

I didn't actually buy this book.  A very long-time friend from England bought this book and sent it to my story-telling son.  I vaguely remember Meg and Mog books, and had I recalled this one sooner, I would have bought this book.

This book is perfect on so many levels.  My almost-five-year-old son tells stories about as fantastic as this one.  He has a love/hate relationship with owls.  We have three cats.  My husband was a space shuttle engineer (when there was a space shuttle to engineer), and my son is fascinated with space.  On top of all that, this story is funny, silly and delightful.

Jan Pienkowski is an artist of staggering range.  So wide a range, in fact, that I did a double-take when I saw he was the illustrator.  Normally, this overly-cartoony style does not appeal to me; however, because Pienkowski is so incredibly brilliant with any art style or medium, the artwork in this book works perfectly.  And it suits Meg from her buckled shoes to her pointy hat.