Product Description

Pilkey's fascinating story of an animals-only rollerskating rink will leave young readers amazed. See how all the animals traveled to get to the rink and how they behaved once they got there. Full-color illustrations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1222320 in Books
• Published on: 1995-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In this inventive nocturnal romp, Pilkey's (When Cats Dream; the Dragon books) delectable poetry sweeps readers into a fun-filled world where animals can be found "skating in moonlight/ And drifting in breezes,/ Rolling in starshine/ And dancing in treeses." From its anticipatory opening query ("Have you ever wondered/ Where animals go,/ At night when the light/ Of the moon is aglow?") the excitement gradually mounts, as myriad assorted species can be seen converging from great distances on the eponymous rink-"It's open all night!" Through shadowy forests and across moonlit rivers the animals trek, finally skating by the glow of Christmas tree lights in a rush of color and movement. Pilkey's generally dark-toned illustrations, both impressionistic and primitive, resemble his work in When Cats Dream. Here, giant moons in changing hues illumine several spreads (the final page, in fact, makes a nod to Spielberg's E.T.), filling the book with all the mystery and magic of the night. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?If you've ever wondered "Where animals go,/At night when the light/Of the moon is aglow," here is one imaginative possibility. Zoo creatures escape from their cages, farm animals creep past sleeping towns, and pets leave behind collars and leashes, as they all head for the Moonglow Roll-O-Rama. Surrounded by shadowy evergreens decorated with colorful lights, the animals put on their red "rollin' shoes" and skate around the shiny wooden rink. As the moon works its special magic, they fly up into the "star-riddled" sky to skate "celestial ballets." When the enchantment wears off at dawn, the tired beasts hurry back to their everyday lives, to sleep all day and dream of the Moonglow. The rhyming text has a fast-paced rhythm that moves the story along quickly, despite some awkward sounding pairings. The vibrant watercolor-and-pencil illustrations grab the imagination and set the tone. Deep shades of pink, blue, and green wrap the story in magic and mystery. The full moon glows and flickers in almost every spread: bubble-gum pink on the cover, peach against a red sky, and bright yellow over the roller rink. A beautifully colored moon, shrouded in dark green clouds, provides an enchanted backdrop for the animal silhouettes that skate across the sky. For a pair of magical bedtime tales, suggest this along with Nicki Weiss's Where Does the Brown Bear Go? (Greenwillow, 1989).?Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 3-6. "Have you ever wondered / Where animals go, / At night when the light / Of the moon is aglow?" In a moonlit, Chagall-like scene, a little dog leaves his home and joins a varied crew of animals wending their way to the Moonglow Roll-o-Rama. They don roller skates and take to the outdoor rink, then fly through the sky, enchanted by the moonlight's magic. Slowly they return to earth, skating together "paw-in-paw, hoof-in-claw," until dawn breaks and they return to their houses, yards, and zoos. A pourquoi tale in rhyme, the book explains why we see animals sleeping during the day. An updated "peaceable kingdom," it fantasizes the tiger and the cow (if not the lion and the lamb) getting along just fine. As a picture book, it lilts along in rhymed couplets illustrated by large, striking scenes of animals making their way across brilliantly colored landscapes and skies lit by an enormous moon. The watercolor paintings, stronger than the text, convey an unabashed celebration of color and a convincing depiction of the fantasy. Good for bedtime reading, this picture book shows night in a positive light, without diminishing its mystery. Carolyn Phelan

Customer Reviews

Great book
We first got this book at the library and my husband loved it so much he had to get it for our son. I have never read it before now and it is really cute. The pictures are beautiful and the writing is fun. Its great for little ones! I shared this book with my book club and they all loved it.

One of my son's favorites!
My 3 year-old son loves this book! He is absolutely delighted by the colorful, dreamy pictures of all the animals moving through the woods, over the water and into the sky on their roller skates. The simple rhyming poetry is very soothing for bedtime, and I'm sure he drifts off to sleep imagining what it would be like to go along on the adventure. I wish Mr. Pilkey would write/draw more books like this.

Dav Pilkey Does it Again
Dav Pilkey with his innate sense of how children feel and think, has provided us with yet another spectacular book to share with our little ones at bed time. His clever rhymes and colorful pictures create a sense of wonder and harmony that will help them to see night-time as something fun, rather than scary.

The bright colors and rhymes in the story help to draw the reader into the rollerskating rink that is only for animals. The entertaining antics of all the different animals, as they get along and skate together, reminds us of we should all be able to do the same thing--if it was a perfect world.

Though meant for children four through eight, the story is so engaging that older children will probably enjoy it also. This is definitely a book that should not be missed.