This was a lovely but rather melancholy graphic novel about a teenage girl who has taken on a very important but isolating job for her community and finds it may be too heavy for her to handle on her own. Beautiful, soft colors as always with O'Neill (you may remember them from the Tea Dragon series). I will need to reflect on the story for a while to decide what I think about it, but it definitely made me cry in the lunchroom at work!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Graphic for the eARC in exchange for this honest review.

This graphic novel by K. O'Neill explores the importance of asking for help, supporting others, and finding where you belong or feel at home.

The art is very similar to The Tea Dragon Society, but the coloring is much darker and gives me a winter vibe ( although it is not set in the winter, but in a desert at night).

The story itself is simple with Anya taking on the responsibility of moth keeper and questioning who she is. There are many panels without words as it explores her loneliness and isolation in a vast desert, but the sections with other characters show warmth and love. I do wish we had gotten to know all the characters more, but with their basic characteristics it felt very fairytale or myth like. I just felt it was missing depth that it could have head and leaned more into the illustrations.

Interested to see if this story continues on like Tea Dragons as that would hopefully bring more characterization, but definitely recommend as an atmospheric read.

A gorgeous telling of burnout, feeling lost and alone...and finding something to ground you. Truly a magnificent story with magnificent illustrations. I could read Kay O'Neill's work the rest of my life and be satisfied <3

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a beautifully illustrated and colored graphic novel with a simple yet rich coming-of-age story at its heart. Recommended for all dreamers who feel a little bit alone sometimes.

I loved The Moth Keeper as much as I loved The Tea Dragon Society. The story is imaginative and heartfelt. The illustrations are so cute that they are almost cuddly. I would recommend thos book to cozy readers of any age.

I adored this - the story, the art style, the characters. O'Neill is one of my favourite discoveries of 2022 through the Tea Dragon Society books and I cannot wait for more like this from them!

More detailed review to come.

Another delightful graphic novel by K. O'Neill. They have become an auto buy for the library as well as my own personal collection. In the Night Village, the Moon Spirt has given the villagers the responsibility to care for the Moon Moths which help to keep the villages Night Flower alive. The current Moth Keeper is turning over the responsibility of the moths care to Anya, a young girl from the village who desires nothing more than contribute to the village that brought her in when she was a young child. The job of Moth Keeper is a lonely and isolating job, one that Anya finds difficult. She suddenly desires nothing more than to see the sun. A fateful decision leaves the moths and the village in jeopardy but with the help of the an ancient myth, Anya is able to find the strength within to find her true place within the village. O'Neill expresses so much in their art and the reader is able to understand the characters thoughts without words. As usual, O'Neill's art is sparsely beautiful. I loved the side characters - especially Estell and hop O'Neill will bless us with another novel from this world, much like the Tea Dragon Society trilogy.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Graphic for the eARC in exchange for this review. This in no way changed my opinion**

First things first: K. O'Neill is an autobuy author. Full stop. There is no one I've seen who creates worlds that are so effortlessly inclusive and supportive and comforting. I want to live in them. The representation, especially for children, is great and this one is no exception. To add to previous representation in their books, The Moth Keeper heavily features a child character who uses a cane, as well as an LGBT+ couple. The characters are largely based on animals, so I can't speak to racial diversity, but the society does not look homogenous.

The book follows Anya, a young Fennec Fox, as she learns to be the "moth keeper" for her society. This job is largely solitary as it requires that you spend all of your time outside tending to the moths, allowing them to roam a certain distance at night, feeding them, etc. After her mentor deems her ready to tackle the job on her own, this means it also lacks another person to talk to at all most of the time. While the rest of society is also nocturnal, they stay in the city. The moths are important as they pollinate a tree that the society depends on for certain medications (O'Neill has stated she was inspired by an insect in New Zealand that has a similar symbiotic relationships with a specific plant native to marshlands there, as well as the Joshua Tree in the US). Anya's job is important and she recognizes it's gravity, but she also has individual aspirations that seem to conflict with this role and the weight of the job.

The letter from the editor at the beginning kindly points out the theme of "burnout", which can be a hard topic to try and explain to a younger reader. I think this is well executed, however, without using that specific term. It's easy to see Anya is slowly being crushed by the weight of the job but unwilling to accept help much of the time. This story, I think, will open the door to discuss with a young reader how to recognize/prevent burnout both within themselves and in their friends and family. The artwork is, once again, stunning and immersive. The fact it was done on Procreate on an iPad further stuns me. I am amazed at the quality of work that went into this story. I like the intertwining mythologies and themes of the story and, once again, O'Neill has masterfully demonstrated what a peaceful, loving society and good friendships look like. I think this will be a book many will come to love over time, just like the Tea Dragon Society. I think this one's theme is a little darker, by necessity, than some of the other books O'Neill has put out, so be prepared for that. But it was a pleasant experience.

4.5/5 stars

A absolutely beautiful story! From the artwork to the overall message of the story, it was stunning.
This story shows that it really does take a village and it’s not a burden to ask for help!
Such a heartwarming and loving story!

From the acclaimed author and illustrator of The Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After (InNeill) comes an extraordinarily poetic and emotional story of a small moth keeper who will sacrifice by spending the nights in isolation making sure the moths don't get lost. Her village depends on her, but her heart is with the sun and life during the day and one night she loses the moth. From self-doubt to acts of courage. Being a keeper is not easy but she will not turn her back on her duty and will make sure to undo her mistake. Great cast of characters with LGBTQ representation.
I love the extra sketches at the end of this book. Also how the author was inspired by the dry landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Thank you Random House Children's and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was absolutely beautiful! It is a story of loss, responsibility, discovery, acceptance, and family. Being a Moth Keeper is a big responsibility, and this book beautifully portrays it! It also portrays the difficulties that follow, such as loneliness and being with your thoughts.

The artwork in this book was also just as beautiful! The colors they chose and the art style flowed perfectly.

This will be a great graphic novel for older middle schoolers. The messages in this book will definitely stick with whoever reads it. It was very moving, and I can't wait to read it again once it's published! I definitely recommend it!

This gentle fantasy will appeal to fans of the author's award-winning Tea Dragon Society books. Also, it features a young character dealing with burnout, which is an extremely timely topic, and handled well in the story. The artwork is lovely and immersive, bringing to life an imaginative fantasy world.

I will link to my full review once it is posted on No Flying No Tights.

Thank you Random House Children's and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book, in exchange for my honest review.
This book follows Anya, a young girl who lives in the Night Village. In her village, they sleep during the day, and thrive in the evening. Anya, has signed up to be a moth keeper for her village. It is an important job, as the moths help to feed the tree that is the lifeblood of the village. The only problem is, she has always dreamt of seeing the sun. When she decides to find out what it's like, her village and the moths could pay the price.

I have not read a lot of graphic novels or mangas, but this one looked way to cute to pass up. Let me tell you, it was everything that I thought it would be. The story is so sweet and charming. The atmosphere was lovely and I instantly fell in love with all of the characters. The artwork was stunning! There were times that I was a bit confused with what was going on, but I think that is because I am not used to reading this format.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I would definitely read more from this author.

So beautiful and poignant. I absolutely loved The Tea Dragon Society so seeing more of K. O'Neill's work is delightful. This didn't disappoint whatsoever.

The story is one of loss, yearning, discovery, and acceptance. Our young protagonist is struggling to navigate her world and her responsibilities and, in typical "I Want" fashion, wants to understand a different side of life, if only for a day. She comes to an appreciation for all facets of the world she lives in, with the help of so many kind people--something I can only hope for our own world. I can understand this being a single volume, but I admittedly hope it gets at least one sequel to see how far she goes. The art is also as gorgeous as always in O'Neill's work.

In short, this is wonderful read for everyone!

As a lover of O'Neill's previous works, I'm super stoked to have gotten the opportunity to read their upcoming release early!

While a departure from the lineless vibrancy of the Tea Dragon and Aquicorn Cove books, the desaturated colors and linework are a better fit for this story. This desert tale is folkloric, and I feel this better suits the subgenre of a soft fantasy novel than a cozy fantasy. Sure, the artwork is lovely and there's so much community coziness in its pages. But the underlying themes prevalent are about burnout, loneliness, and the desire to belong without knowing how.

It's a beautiful story, and I think that in spite the Middle Grade designation many people will be able to point to a time in their lives they felt the same. The tone is more somber compared to O'Neill's previous works, but you still see the way they weave universal feelings and struggles into the various characters. In addition, there is still casual LGBTQ+ representation, a trademark of O'Neill's work.

So as always, I very much enjoyed it and look forward to what other stories O'Neill will publish in their career!

I've been a fan of K. O'Neill since Princess Princess Ever After and the Tea Dragon books are personal favorites, so I was delighted when I heard about the Moth Keeper and it did not disappoint. What a lovely story about family, fear, and burnout. It brought tears to my eyes. Can't wait to see it on my library shelf and my personal shelf.

I enjoyed this newest addition to K's publications. The look into isolation and burnout as well as exploration of self was fascinating and the artwork played into that really well. It didn't feel quite as compelling as the tea dragon series, but I think it would do well with multiple reads.

Most of the time I choose books based on vibes, and the Moth Keeper had among the best vibes. It didn't hurt that Anya the main character looks to be modeled after a fennec fox (which fittingly is a nocturnal desert fox, also one of my favorite animals).

Like Vin Diesel would say in Fast and the Furious, it's about family. And this book really is.

Not only is it about responsibility to your community, but also your community's responsibility to you. Like K. O'Neill's previous work the Tea Dragon Society, this is a soft, beautiful piece with some melancholy, but soothing tones.

This is a great graphic novel for the upper end of the middle grade age group, but really could be enjoyed by any age.
I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC.

Being a Moth Keeper is a huge responsibility and a great honor, but what happens when the new Moth Keeper decides to take a break from the moon and see the sun for the first time? Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for my ARC.


K. O'Neil is the author of one of my favorite graphic novel series The Tea Dragon Society. This is equally beautiful and well written. I'm so glad I got a chance to read this book

I love the mythology that was created for this book. The history of the moon moths, and why the night village exists. The friendship between Anya and Estell is precious.

This is a story about facing everything that comes with being alone with your thoughts in the dark, dealing with intense loneliness and the people who are near us. It's gentle and touching and will likely stay with me for ages to come.

This book is going to be released in March of 2023 and I highly recommend checking it out. It is a beautiful story for all ages.
Anya's background story made me so sad. I wonder what her mother was dealing with.

This is a story about facing fear, wanting to belong, and fighting loneliness. It's gentle and touching and will likely stay with me for a while.

O'Neill hits it out of the park again! The lush illustrations flow with this beautiful fable-esque story. A delightful read for any age!