Maybe it was just the timing but I wasn't quite as taken with this one as I expected to be. Don't get me wrong, it's cute and the illustrations are well done, but for me the story just seemed to be lacking something. As noted, it simply may be just the timing of me coming straight into it from a mystery I loved without taking the time to "shift gears" or that it was translated from German and the rhyme seemed a bit forced at times. There's every chance others will embrace the story and what it's ultimately promoting. Therefore, 3.5 rounded to 4 stars.
It's a cute story that focuses on the idea of stepping out of ones comfort zone and taking a chance to make your dreams come true. That's a good message for children. In Goth Moth's story, actually his name is Walter, it's both being daring enough to attend a concert during the daylight hours, hardly a prime time for moths, as well as suddenly finding himself not only onstage but living his dream of playing the drums. Even better, he's backing up his musical hero's band Jitterbug, which this book is a sequel to, albeit I haven't read the first one. Lots of cute word play, Easter Eggs if you want, which are usually small items or words/names used to refer to something not connected to this story. In this case, I bet you can figure out to what Metallicicada, Moth Crew, Iron Mantis, and Def Lepidoptera refer. More metal than Goth, true, but fun nevertheless. Check the illustrations for some musical "symbols", too. And, maybe it's just me, but the first name that came to me when I looked at the cover was, well, think Nirvana. Grin.
Overall, nicely done. I should note that the author, besides being an author, editor, and director, is a musician, so the musical touch is natural for him. The illustrations, focusing on the idea of moths being creatures of the night, so to speak, have a darker tone than many children's books without being truly dark, if that makes any sense. The darker tones convey the moth's normal world as well as the frequent tone of Goth metal music. Even the daylight scenes have edges of darker colors, reminding us that this isn't a human world, albeit the dreams and ambitions are very human. I also grinned at the author's use of the phrase about Jitterbug that read "...as she starts to twist and shout". Gee, wonder what band that Easter Egg might conjure up? Thanks #NetGalley and #NorthSouthBooksInc for giving me a peek into Walter's alter ego as a Goth Moth. Kids with rock'n'roll dreams should love it.
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