Bilby Moon by Margaret Spurling, illustrated by Danny Snell Ages 4-8 32 pages Kane/Miller March 2001 Hardcover     I never knew what a bilby was until I read this delightful and beautifully illustrated book to my son. Bilby Moon tells the story of a cute Australian critter that looks like a small anteater (it’s a real animal found in the Australian central desert region) who wonders why the moon is disappearing. So he sets out to ask all his fellow desert-dwellers if they know the secret to the moon mystery. Along the way, Bilby meets a Hopping Mouse, Sand-Dragon, Mole and Echidna, as well as little Froglet, all again real critters found in the Australian desert. As Bilby journeys across the land to find his answer, he learns all about his surroundings and who he shares the desert with, finally meeting up with a wise Boobook owl that tells him all about the natural cycles of the moon. This charming book celebrates the wonders of nature. The story is sweet and the gorgeous illustrations are bold, yet soft like the night, thanks to Danny Snell’s grasp of the Australian desert at night. Bilby Moon is a treat that teaches even as it entertains, and does so in a gentle and smooth style that will have your child yawning even as the moon outside your own house rises to greet you.       web reviews   Marie D. Jones/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)