41. The Little Old Man Who Looked Up At The Moon by Pamela Allen

The Little Old Man Who Looked Up At The Moon by Pamela Allen
Published January 2012 Penguin

From the publisher:
The little old man looked up at the moon. 'Does the sky go on forever and ever?' he asked. 'Where do we come from? Where do we go? Why are we here?'

In this touching story, one of Australia's most celebrated author-illustrators takes young readers on a journey that asks some of life's big questions. Playful and thought-provoking by turns, The Little Old Man Who Looked Up at the Moon touches on universal themes and will spark many a conversation between young and old.

A little old man and a little old woman lived together at the top of a hill.  The little old man asks his wife some tricky questions  "Where do we come from?", "Where do we go?" and "Why are we here?".  The little old lady sets off to find the answers to her husband's questions. She meets a rooster who answers her with "Cock-a-doodle-do", a pig who answers " Oink! Oink! Oink!", a cow who answers "Moooooooo!" and a duck who answers "Quack! Quack! Quack!".  When she arrives home again she answers her husbands questions with the responses she received from the animals...he then asks "Yes, but who am I?"...and her answer is "Why, you're my husband,". 



So...what is this book about?  I'm not really sure. It could, quite simply, be a book about the big questions being impossible to answer, each reader will have to decide for themselves. It is sweet, but a little off the wall.  Children will love the interaction with the animals, but will they appreciate the relationship between the husband and wife?  I am not sure.

Who will like this book: Teachers/parents who want a philosophical picture book.
Read it if you like: Pamela Allen