Sam, Bangs & Moonshine (Owlet Book)

Wow, this book is great! I know it's 30 years old, but it's such a classic. The illustrations, which won it the Caldecott medal, are beautiful yet distinctly 1960ish. The story however, just captures you. I think it's perfect for a 5-6 year old but possibly a little too intense for a younger child (of course it depends on the child). A young girl, Sam, lives a richly imaginative life (mermaid mother, dragon pulled chariot, baby kangaroo...) but eventually her "moonshine" as her fisherman father calls it, brings near tragedy to her friend Thomas. Sam learns to disguish moonshine from reality.

From the flap: Young readers whose mothers are mermaids, who own fierce lions and baby kangaroos, and can talk to their cats, will find a fast friend in the heroine of this imaginative, humorous book. Samantha (everyone calls her Sam) is a fisherman's daughter who dreams rich and lovely dreams - moonshine, her father says. She sits in her dragon-drawn chariot and says wise things to Bangs, her cat, and she often sends Thomas, her devoted friend, to look for her pet kangaroo who always seems to have "just stepped out." One day, Sam sends Thomas to Blue Rock, far out in the harbor where, she claims, her kangaroo has gone. When a sudden storm brings near disaster to Thomas and to Bangs, Sam repentantly draws a permanent line between moonshine and reality.
Evaline Ness is one of the most distinguished illustrators of children's books. Her delightful drawings provide just the right setting for this appealing story.

wonderful story and incredible tool for teaching little ones about the consequences of little white lies

i disagree with the person who put this on the worst of Caldecott list stating that it is unpleasant to the eye. i love the illustrations and the rich ink print. the last picture is probably my favorite image from children's books.

Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine written and illustrated by Evaline Ness was the 1967 winner of the Caldecott Medal and rightfully so. The story takes place on a small island probably on the New England coast and the illustrations portray this very well. The lack of color, using only brown and black outlines sets the mood and gives the story that small fishing community feel. The lighthouse in the illustrations has a striking resemblance to the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Maine. Evaline Ness, born in Union City, Ohio on April 24, 1911 grew up in Pontiac, Michigan and became a wonderful writer and illustrator. She delivered her words and visions in absolute harmony of one another.

Sam is a young girl with a huge imagination and a tendency to tell stories. She lives with her father and Bangs, her wise cat. Sam's father is a fisherman and she spends lots of time alone, time to fantasize . . . "Sam said she had a fierce lion at home, and a baby kangaroo." The author explains that what she really has at home is an "old wise cat called Bangs." Early in the story Sam's father encourages her to ". . . talk REAL not MOONSHINE. MOONSHINE spells trouble." That day Sam's friend Thomas rode his bike down and pleaded with her to see her baby kangaroo. Every day she told him that it had just "stepped out." Thomas believed everything Sam told him and he would search high and low to find this baby kangaroo.

On that particular day Sam said that her baby kangaroo just left to visit with her mermaid mother who lived in a cave behind Blue Rock. Of course Thomas races off to Blue Rock. Sam was reminded by her talking cat Bangs that when the tide comes in it covers the road to Blue Rock and that the ". . . tide rises early today." Sam doesn't give it a second thought she continues on in her world of imagination . . . "Pardon me while I go to the moon." Bangs followed Thomas. It is at this moment when Sam begins to realize that "MOONSHINE" may not always be a good thing. The illustrations become darker harmonizing with the mood. "Sam stood there . . . , trying to swallow the lump that rose in her throat."
The story ends happily, just as any children's book should but teaches an important lesson about good "MOONSHINE" and bad. Children need to be encouraged to imagine and create but this story can help direct them in a more positive direction.
I enjoyed this book very much and I'll be looking for more books by Evaline Ness.