A Story of Overcoming Fear and Finding Friendship

Today we welcome Clare Helen Welsh into The Reading Realm to talk about Moon Bear, which is illustrated by Carolina T. Godina and published by Frances Lincoln. It’s an enchanting exploration of fear, contrasts, and unexpected friendship. The book features a young girl called Ettie, who is afraid of the dark, and a sparkly moon bear cub who is afraid of the light.

In only eight words and with powerful illustrations, Clare and Carolina have crafted a magical tale of bravery, understanding, and friendship.

What is Moon Bear about?

Night time means shadows and the unknown for Ettie, but when she meets a magical moon bear who is afraid of the light, the two characters—who are seemingly opposites—meet in a world that hangs between light and dark, day and night, and find common ground.

The book’s almost wordless format allows the illustrations to lead the storytelling. Each page is rich in mood and emotion, using light and dark to create contrasting worlds that reflect the fears of the characters. Ettie and Moon Bear slowly learn to trust one another, and through their friendship, they face their fears. By the end of the story, Ettie becomes more comfortable in the dark, while the bear cub learns to embrace the light.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Moon Bear?

I often draw inspiration from universal human truths and everyday experiences. Although Moon Bear initially began as a title, this story was no different. I had wanted to address fear of the dark in a picture book for some time. It’s a relatable theme for many young readers and is one my own children struggled with when they were young. When I set about creating Moon Bear, I pulled together my understanding of how children process fear and anxiety, and how storytelling can be a powerful tool for addressing those feelings.

I think I am perhaps best known for writing stories that encourage empathy, resilience, and emotional growth in children. What’s special about Moon Bear, I think, is that we don’t have to face our fears alone. With support and friendship, we can overcome fears more easily.

I love wordless books and have always dreamed of writing one! As an author only, I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. But the nearly wordless format of Moon Bear was the perfect vehicle for this story, allowing children space to interpret the story and engage with the characters’ emotions in their own way. I’m glad I was brave enough to give it a try!

What do you hope readers take from Moon Bear?

Alongside the themes of courage and friendship, Moon Bear allows children to bring their own words, magic and sparkle to storytelling. The lack of words means children can interpret the images in their own way. There is no right or wrong way to read the story, and excitingly, it can be different every time! We hope it encourages imaginative thinking, talk and the learning of new vocabulary.  We hope it also leads to emotional reflection, as children can project their own experiences onto the characters, creating a personal connection with the story.

For adults, the story offers an opportunity to open conversations about fear and how to cope with it with children.

Hopefully, Moon Bear will bring a special shared moment between an adult and a child, whether that’s something magical, imaginative, joyous or heartfelt. I still remember the books I read on the laps of those I loved.

Thanks so much, Reading Realm, for allowing me to share a little about Moon Bear. We hope you love our book as much as we do. We believe it’s a powerful and memorable read about characters learning to face their fears who take comfort in knowing that they are not alone.