The author of The Tea Dragon Society does it again with a deeply meaningful, beautifully illustrated story that will make readers tear up with emotion. Anya is an apprentice moth-keeper, who roams the land at night to care for the lunar moths on whom her village depends. As she gains more responsibility, Anya is proud of the work she does to care for her people and the moths, but nights alone with only one light for company begin to wear on her. Her loneliness grows until she makes a terrible mistake, which endangers everyone. Anya's story is a metaphor for depression that cuts right to the heart, as well as a tale of hope and wonder. The art style is gorgeous and familiar to readers of O'Neill's prior work, complete with the mixing of human and animal traits. The quiet desert stretches across the page in a way both inviting and intimidating, making it easy for the reader to feel what Anya is feeling. Perfect for fans of the Tea Dragon series and The Girl From The Sea.

1. The art I just ADORE Kay O’Neill’s art so much. It is soft, pretty, and I love the colours and how much it can tell a story. And I love that each chapter has a pretty moth to admire!
2. The characters! We got a great cast of supporting characters who do everything to help out Anya. Like Anya’s best friend, Estell, who makes sure that she has food and medicine and talks with her about her Moth Keeper job. And she is also the one who, when Anya loses it all and starts getting lost in loneliness, finds someone to help Anya. Then there is Anya’s mentor and his lover and they were just so much like the couple from Tea Dragon Society and I was just squeeing in delight. I just loved how they were there for Anya. Never got angry at her even when it was obvious that maybe Anya should have asked for helped.
3. Anya! She was such a sweet character, though she needs to learn to ask for help when things get tough. But given her issues and her mental health I could forgive her. I mean, she hasn’t had the easiest past, and whereas the rest of the village is fine living in the dark, we see that it is tough for Anya despite having been there since young child. Then there is the fact that being a moth keeper is a lonely job. You are often hours away from friends and family making sure that the moths are happy and taken care off. Some of her struggles I could definitely relate to. That even if you have your found family around you, can you feel lonely? And there were others. I do love that she never gives up and that she keeps going on. When things go south she takes responsibility.
4. The folklore/the stories about the Moon Spirit, about Lioka, and how it all ties back together with the story we have now. I would definitely love more stories about the people living in this world. Please give us a novella or a whole new graphic novel with just Moth Keeper stories/folklore!
5 That we don’t just follow Anya. Yes, for most of the book it is Anya, but we also get glimpses of the town, of Anya’s friend being taught how to do medicine, we see Anya’s mentor with his lover. We see how the town moves and flows through the night and how everyone is happy.

This story was really heartwarming and symbolic. I loved how every character was truly caring about the others in their village. It had coming of age vibes so I think this’ll be really good for middle grade-YA readers. I’m definitely going to order a physical copy for myself. Thank you for eARC, this was such a special little graphic novel.

A gorgeous and heartwarming story about finding your place in the world. the power of community, hope, and friendship. This was a absolutely charming and heart warming story about a village that has a tradition of having a Moth Keeper, someone who is the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. These flowers help the village continue to thrive and now it is Anya’s turn to become the new Moth Keeper. Anya was excited to be given such an important and honored role in her community, but the job is not what she thought it would be like. Night after lonely night, she wanders under the dark starry skies with her single lantern, guiding the moths. The loneliness grows and Anya’s yearning to prove her worth to her community and show her thanks to her friends and village might come at the cost of her own growing loneliness and sadness. Anya yearns for more but there are consequences to keeping all your emotions locked up and not asking for help, and this could impact not only the moths but her entire village. Can she save herself and her village before it’s too late? This was truly a touching story, filled with gorgeous artwork and a whimsical and enchanting feeling that would make a perfect read for Studio Ghibli fans!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Random House Graphic for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book is a beautiful story about overcoming fear. It's a beautiful middle grade novel highlighting friendship, following your dreams, and community. With beautiful, whimsy artwork, this book will be a perfect addition to your library.

Anya has always wanted to be needed, but she's also afraid of the dark. Despite her fears, she takes on the important job of guiding the moon moths that pollinate the tree her night village needs for survival. Anya is determined to keep her village healthy, but who will keep Anya healthy, especially when the allure of sunlit life and the danger of ancient legends brought to life threaten to keep her from the moths she cannot afford to lose?

Like K. O'Neill's other graphic novels, this one is beautiful and gentle, filled with tender moments and beautiful scenes of cooperation and love in many forms. It touches on the deep scars that can form when we experience childhood trauma and introduces the power of just one person believing in you. I'm sure the advanced reader's copy doesn't quite do the artwork justice, but I'm still delighted by the fantastic landscapes and endearing characters that fill these colorful pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Moth Keeper was a beautiful middle grade graphic novel about friendship, community, and having the courage to pursue greater things--even when they go against the flow of the current. I really loved the art of this novel, and found both the layout and illustrations to be both captivating and enmeshed with the story beautifully. The characters were also great, and I really liked the story that was told.

I've long been a fan of K. O'Neill and The Moth Keeper is no exception. It is a beautifully crafted, gorgeously illustrated graphic novel about loneliness and solitude and the importance of asking for help/moving away from self-reliance. Anya lives in the night village, a cooperative society that is just so charming. She starts training for her job as the moth keeper, which is one of the most important jobs: she has to keep the lunar moths nearby so they can help the night-lily flower bloom once a year. When she overcommits and turns down help (likely stemming from the trauma of parental neglect), she ends up falling asleep, the lamp goes out, and the lunar moths are gone when she wakes up.

It is truly wonderful like all of K. O'Neill's work, and I can't wait to carry it in my little shop.

Absolutely lovely! O'Neill's art is whimsical, colorful, and a joy to look at. The desert world of The Moth Keeper is beautifully rendered in magical nightscapes, with special glimpses of the world by day. The animal people are all unique and have a variety of body types and skin tones.

I loved Anya's story and I think it's one that both children and adults can relate to! She feels out of touch with her community and world, and is working so hard to prove her worth, even as she begins to lose faith in her abilities and purpose. Thankfully she has a best friend looking out for her, and a wise mentor who steps in when needed. Together, they band together with the rest of the community and show Anya that she's valued, loved, and supported. Enchanting, kind, and heart-achingly gorgeous, The Moth Keeper is a must read.

Gorgeous illustrations and a touching story! This was my first K. O'Neill graphic novel and I was very impressed.

The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill. Random House Children’s, 2023.
Thank you Random House Children’s for providing an e-book copy through NetGalley.

Rating: 1-5 (5 being a starred review) 4.5

Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel

What I Liked: K. O’Neill’s work is always beautiful, atmospheric, and serene. You will not find a more peaceful graphic novel as the images lull you into a sense of calm. Their lines are never sharp or bold, and the colors either resemble the tones of an idealistic nature setting or a pleasant dream. In The Moth Keeper (as well as their other works) the character designs and general artistic world building is inventful yet simple, charming, and sweet, making this a “light” fantasy that isn’t bogged down with complex world systems, barriers of understanding, or even heavy conflict and strife. Readers can follow along and gather information at their own pace, using the descriptive comic-storytelling to picture the wider world. The story follows Anya, the new moth keeper of her night village. She must tend to the lunar moths that help the Night Lily Flower bloom once a year, which feeds the village. Anya is excited at first to travel every night with the magical creatures, but being a moth keeper is a lonely job as you do it alone, keeping watch through the dark hours of the night. And, unbeknownst to even her closest friends, Anya wants to see the sun and feel the warmth on her skin. But she knows that to do that will be betraying the moths, the village, and the moon itself who gave her people the Night Lily Tree. Follow Anya through the beautifully illustrated comic pages as she journeys every night through the desert and learns about community, responsibility, friendship, and her own heart.

What I Didn’t Like: Nothing!

Who Would I Recommend This To: Any kid who likes atmospheric and/or pretty graphic novels, where the story isn’t as important as the images (not in a bad way). Anyone who likes The Tea Dragon series by K. O’Neill, This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews, or Lightfall by Tim Probert.

Review Date: Feb 27, 2023

The Moth Keeper by Kay ONeill is an absolute delight! ONeill's works have always inspired joy and whimsy when I've read them, and The Moth Keeper is no different. With beautiful, rich artwork, ONeill weaves a fantastical story full of relatable characters and meaningful allegories. This is not one to miss!

Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review!

Clearly, I am in the minority on this, but this book didn’t work for me. I thought that the art was stunning and loved that there were a lot of panels that were just visuals and no dialogue. However, I struggled to get into the plot and could never get hooked. It didn’t help that the characters were unrelatable and I felt very disconnected from them and the plot. I loved the book's concept and get this is for younger readers, but I didn’t get excited about it.

I struggled with this book. I made it half way and just couldn't be compelled to pick it back up. I found the characters to be stiff and unrelatable. And the story was too slow paced to to keep me invested enough to plow through. The concept was interesting and had promise, I just couldn't make it through.

Anya, in her search to feel needed, decides to take on the important job of being a Moth Keeper for the night village. The moths help keep the Night-Lily Flower in bloom and her village thriving. She soon finds out that keeping the moths safe through the night is also a very lonely and scary job. The temptation to see the sun becomes overwhelming so one day she sneaks off to visit the sun village. What happens now if she cannot stay awake to keep the moths safe at night?

The artwork is beautiful. They story is beautiful. There is so much to love about this graphic novel.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Lily blooms once a year. But only if the lunar moths are alive. To protect them and keep them alive, there is a Moth Keeper.

Anya wants to be the next Moth Keeper. It's such an important job. Her people wouldn't survive without the lunar moths. She just hopes she can live up to the responsibility.

This is such a good story! I loved the magic and the artwork.

This is a delightful middle grades graphic novel with beautiful artwork. My 9 year old son and I read an advanced copy together, thanks to NetGalley.

This story reminds me a little bit of the film “Mune.” The premise is that two villages exist nearby one another. One village is nocturnal and the other operates during the day, but both communities live in the desert. By keeping a collection of magical moths, the night village is able to ensure that a special tree will flower. They use the pollen from the night flowers to create remedies, and the wind takes that pollen to nearby cacti. The blooming cacti attract bugs and animals that are eaten by the day village. So the villages and nature are living in a circular relationship together.

The main character, Anya, takes up the post of moth keeper despite her deep rooted fear of the dark. Through the narrative we discover that she’s been abandoned in the dark by her detached mother. Anya’s experience of loss allows her a deeper understanding of grief, which in turn helps her to support the grief of a phantom wandering the desert.

There are a few complex themes that develop in this short book. Anya’s head-on approach to tackling her fear of the dark, and her subsequent struggles, would be inspiring to anyone with a similar fear. The wisdom she shares with the desert phantom and the community of support that rallies around her would be inspiring to anyone struggling with loss. Anya’s big mistake and the patient reactions of those around her would be comforting to anyone struggling with overachieving or perfectionism. Altogether, I think it offers a lot of character lessons for elementary and middle grade readers.

My son’s only complaint was that sometimes there were a lot of pictures, but I think that these provided a nice glimpse into the comraderie and everyday lives of the villagers.

A true K. O'Neill masterpiece to add to our collection! Such incredible illustrations around a story about community and being true to you. The desert setting was stunning and so different from the past books, which was intriguing and exciting!

Thank you to NetGalley, K. O'Neill, and and Random House Graphic for an Arc of this in exchange for an honest review!

A entire town that thrives under moonlight. A lone watcher of the moths that pollinate a sacred tree. That secret desire to bask in the sun and to feel worthy.

Wow wow wow, this book was glorious. Absolutely glorious. The art was beautiful and the storyline was poignant without being in your face. I think a lot of people, not just middle grades, can identify with wanting to feel like they deserve to be where they are, or that they aren't an imposter wanting something else completely. The found family and the way town all works together and all pulls for one another is another strong point throughout this book. It's comforting and soft, yet magical.

This graphic novel follows the story of a night tribe member, Anya, newly in charge of watching over the moths, a gift from the moon, that keep their world alive. Anya struggles with adjusting to the solitude of being the moth keeper, though her mentor offers to stay with her she keeps a brave face and insists she can do it on her own. Her best friend can pick up on the fact that she is struggling without saying so, and often intervenes to ask for assistance for Anaya on Anaya's behalf. Through our story we learn that Anaya craves the daylight, as she is originally from the daylight tribe, and one night was abandoned by her mother, potentially accidently, before the former moth keeper, her new mentor, found her alone in the desert, and adopted her into their tribe. Anaya strays to the daylight tribe and enjoys their daylight celebrations, which causes her to accidently fall asleep while she was supposed to be watching the moths. The moths flutter away without the proper guidance. Her mentor takes up pursuit of the lost moths, to no avail. On the final night before their tree needs to be pollinated by the moths, Anaya steps up to attempt to find the moths herself, which sets her on an adventure where she meets a character earlier discussed as the girl lost to the moon. This character helps Anaya locate the moths and with the help of the moon, is able to get the moths to the tree for pollination just in time.

This story is about found family, doing your duty, and in my opinion, taking responsibility when we mess up. Anaya was the one who, even accidently, lost the moths, and she took that responsibility upon herself to try and find them, and she ended up being the only one who could actually bring them back home. O'Neill once again hits the mark with this story. The art and premise are beautiful and I highly recommend.