Review of IN THE MOONLIGHT MIST by Daniel San Souci

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

San Souci, Daniel. 1999. Ill. By Eujin Kim Neilan. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 1563977540

2. PLOT SUMMARY

A woodcutter rescues a deer, and the deer offers to make the woodcutter’s secret wish come true. The woodcutter wishes for a wife. The deer grants the wish by having the woodcutter take the clothes of a heavenly maiden, while she is bathing in a lake. The deer warns the woodcutter that she should never put on the clothes that he took until she has given him two children. He rescues her, and she falls in love with him. They have a child, but she is soon homesick for heaven. The woodcutter gets her clothes and she puts them on, and she along with the baby descend to heaven, leaving the woodcutter alone with only his mother. The deer comes to the woodcutter and instructs him to go back to the lake and get in a bucket lowered from heaven, which descends to fill the heavenly maiden’s baths. He goes to the lake, but in his selflessness, he lets his mother join his wife and daughter in heaven so she won’t be lonely. The heavenly king sees this, and rewards the woodcutter for his unselfish act. He sends a dragon, and the woodcutter ascends to heaven to join his family.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The book’s story and theme teach several important moral lessons. The selflessness of the woodcutter is an inspiration. Readers see kindness to animals, kindness to elders, and putting other’s wants and needs before your own. Children of all ages will enjoy the story as well as the beautiful illustrations. The colors are bold. Neilan uses acrylic paints along with unusual brush strokes, which make the illustrations stand out.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “For libraries with large collections of Asian folklore, this would make an interesting comparison to the more famous Chinese and Japanese tale "The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid," but it is not a first purchase.”

Review PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Neilan's images of the enchanted woodland, the maiden's ascent to the heavens with her babe in arms and of the woodcutter astride a magnificent winged dragon en route to join them emits a power readers will long remember.”

Awards: 1999 Parent Choice Award

5. CONNECTIONS

The book could be used as an opening lesson into Korean culture. The story has several moral lessons, which students could research to see if Korean culture supports the moral lessons in the story.

Students could try and find a variant of this story from another country, and analyze and provide evidence as to why they believe their story is a variant.

Students could compare and contrast this story with another Korean folk tale. They could dissect the characters, setting, and conflict, as well as what moral lessons are in each story.

Students could share a time when they gave up something they really wanted for the sake of someone else’s wants. Students could discuss it and then write about it. They could also illustrate their stories.

Students could also pick from one of the moral lessons in the story and write about a time when they did something for an animal, parents, friends, or grandparents, and write about it.