All of this author’s books are so gentle. Safe reads even for a young and timid reader. The main character in this book seems to have some childhood trauma of abandonment but has a good guardian and a place in her village. But like any growing child would be she’s curious about the world she hasn’t seen yet. Peaceful read.

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths. Lunar moths help the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year and her village uses the flower’s nectar to thrive and survive. But, the nights in the desert are cold and lonely, and Anya finds being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what she thought it would be. She finds herself wondering what it would be like to feel the sun’s warmth. One day, she decides to stay up during the day to experience the sun and her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences of her choice.

I absolutely adored the Tea Dragon Society series, so I knew as soon as I saw K. O’Neill had a new graphic novel coming out, so I needed to read it as soon as possible.

It wasn’t a disappointment.

This is a story about burnout and loneliness that is written alongside beautiful artwork from K. O’Neill that is done in such a way that younger audiences will be able to understand the message too.

Overall, this is a beautiful and gentle graphic novel that I can see those of all age groups loving and enjoying - both for the story and for the art.

K. O'Neill has such a gift for writing and illustrating soft, cozy stories with beautiful messages. As an adult, I love reading stories like this and imagining what it would have been like to have them as a child. I imagine my adolescence would have felt a little safer, a little brighter. The Moth Keeper is a story about leaning on the people around you when you can't do things all on your own. It's also about not being consumed by fear, doubt, and negativity. Those things are always present but they have to be balanced with their opposites. I envy the children who get to read these stories as much as my heart swells for them.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As with all of K. O'Neill's books, The Moth Keeper is just absolutely visually stunning. I love the details in the art style and how light really seems to glow on the page. In this story we follow young Anya who has agreed to become the new Nigh Village's Moth Keeper, an important but lonely task in charge of taking care of the moths that help pollinate the Night Lily which is essential to their villages survival.

It is a story filled with both whimsy and melancholy and explores themes like duty, community, family, and belonging in a way that I think will resonate with both children and adults.

Like all of K. O'Neill's work, The Moth Keeper is a sweet, beautifully illustrated graphic novel. This one follows a group of fantastical humans that live by the moon and rely on moths to maintain light in their village. We follow Araya, the new moth keeper, as they explore what it means to be loved and to be lonely. This reads like a fairy tale, with whimsical magic and creatures of all kinds. I really think this is a story about finding love and accepting it. I also think it's about community and found family, something I think lots of young readers could benefit from. It's very heartwarming and really easy to connect to.

I also need to mention the beautiful art. I mean, I want wall art of O'Neill's work so I can stare at it every day. The character designs are so unique, the desert landscapes are stunning and there is magic on every page. This book will spread joy based on the art alone. It complements the sweet story so well, and I loved looking at it.

Ultimately, I want my library to get all of O'Neill's titles. I think lots of young readers will love and connect to this work, especially my queer patrons. This book is so joyful.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever stared at the moon long enough, and start to forget what the sun looks/feels like? Yeah, me too.

The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neil is a middle grade fantasy graphic novel that Anya and her great success of finally becoming a moth keeper. Aka, like her biggest goal in life. But unfortunately, it's not quite all that she expected. I guess that's what happens when you must journey in the freezing desert, night after night to protect a bunch of moths. But the isolation and loneliness finally hits Anya, and she stays up during the day. Only to let her precious moths and village reap the consequences.

I found this graphic novel to be absolutely adorable and lovely to look at. The art style is gorgeous and easily matches the vibes the author/artist imbued into the story. I only wish that we could have better story pacing.

I received a digital advanced reading copy via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.

This was such a beautifully illustrated story about a young girl named Anya who has trauma from losing her Mother while in the desert, has often felt very lonely and is an apprentice to becoming a Moth Keeper which is a position very much revered by the people that she lives among though often a very lonely one.

Anya soon comes to realize that she really isn't alone with her found family, the stories that surround her, the Moths that she is learning to take care of, friendship, magic and coming to terms with her fear of being alone in the dark.

I highly recommend checking out this book which is not only beautiful with the images but the story itself and illustrated by Kay

Trigger warnings: fear of the dark, loss of a parent

I have to start by addressing K. O'Neill's beautiful artwork. Throughout the story, I was blown away by the way the desert was depicted. The warm glow of the moths moving through the darkness.... so good. This comic has lots of wordless panels throughout which really help to develop the characters. The story itself -- all about community strength, healing, and relying on the help of others is also very beautiful. This book is almost quiet in it's delivery, which makes for a really beautiful and introspective read.

Super cute! I really, really loved this. The illustrations were beautiful, and the story was superb. A must read and a must buy!

This was a really sweet title that had me feeling all sorts of ways. I especially loved the art but there was something very dear about Anya that made me want to protect her. I think we all could connect to her feelings and I'm glad that she has the community that she does to help her. Very simple but powerful read

K. O’Neill’s new graphic novel titled The Moth Keeper is targeted towards children but offers much to adult readers as well. Filled with beautiful illustrations reminiscent of Zelda, The Moth Keeper is a world of beauty that made me wish it were a video game, capable of letting me run around exploring the captivating world myself, even without the main character. However, even setting aside this random desire that the vivid art prompted, the main character, Anya, is a lovable character, surrounded by other lovable side characters, to follow and root for.
The Moth Keeper does many things well such as the art and the story and representing proper boundaries and communication methods between the characters ect. However, the most exciting thing is that although the story appears simple on the surface (Anya wants to help guide the coveted Moths until a tree ritual is completed) it is brimming with deeper topics that children may pick up on if they are experiencing it in their own lives. Subjects such as responsibility and inclusion, even addiction can be a talking point from the text if a child wants it to be.
This is an exciting graphic novel to add to any collection and I’m excited to see what the author offers next!

I would read absolutely anything K. O'Neill wrote and illustrated. Their work combines so many things I love: fantasy settings, new mythologies and legends, themes of kindness, and of course how beautifully inclusive each story is.

The Moth Keeper is their new middle grade graphic novel. The story follows Anya, who is taking up the mantle of Moth Keeper to protect the moths that help grow a flower her community needs. She's determined to prove that she can do the job, but her initial excitement starts to fade with each lonely night alone.

O'Neill explores themes of learning to accept help, the importance of communities working together, and feelings of value in this story. It's a wonderfully told and illustrated story, and I certainly would not mind getting to return to this world in future books to learn more about it!

Love and soft, The Moth Keeper boasts beautiful art and a truly heartwarming story. For anyone who loved the Tea Dragon series as much as I did, this is a must-buy. The art is gorgeous, the message is necessary and sweetly told, it's all wonderful and kind and gentle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Graphic for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Moth Keeper follows Anya, who has just begun her job of guiding her village's moths. The desert village's people live under the cover of night and depend on the moths to pollinate their sacred tree, which puts a tremendous weight on Anya -- a weight she tries to shoulder alone.
This is a lovely story about a character's experience with depression and destructive tendencies. The dark of night is drawn with a warmth that mirrors the people of the village. O'Neill's illustrations of the desert and its inhabitants are brimming with life, and the color work complements the atmosphere. This is a quieter graphic novel; Anya's introspection gives way to the reader's own. A wonderful graphic novel for anyone dealing with burnout and depression.

Introverts will find comfort in the main character, as well as the beautiful scenery of solitude found in the desert world O'Neill has created.
From "Tea Dragon Society" to "Aquicorn", O'Neill always creates an outstanding story in a gorgeously illustrated world. It is absolutely wonderful to read that the images were made on a iPad using Procreate. This surely inspire young artists and readers that you don't need extravagant tools to create gorgeous art.

I have been a huge fan of K. O'Neill since last year, after I discovered their Tea Dragon Society series and quickly devoured all of their books. I was excited to learn about and read The Moth Keeper, O'Neill's latest children's graphic novel. If you want to live in a world of night, magic, friendship, and hope, I think you will adore this story.

Anya is part of a community that lives solely at night, and they rely on lunar moths to thrive. Anya is the new Moth Keeper, and she is tasked with caring and protecting the moths every night, which is often a rewarding yet lonely journey. With a fear of the dark and a desire to see the sun, Anya may put her duty as Moth Keeper in jeopardy.

K. O'Neill's beautiful and fantastical illustrations never disappoint, and The Moth Keeper is no exception. With inspiring portrayals of friendship, community, and love, this graphic novel shows its readers that even though the dark may be scary, nothing is impossible with the care and love of the ones around you.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a charming and uplifting story about taking care of yourself and relying on your community for support. The drawings are lovely.

If you enjoyed this author's Tea Dragon Society series, I'm sure you'll love this too! I did, so this was a must read for me. The story follows a fox girl, Anya. She struggles with her duty as a moth keeper, which is a vital responsibility for the survival of her village. As always, the art, character design, and setting are all so beautiful and whimsical. I think the balance between the art and text is well done (no panels of text here). Read this if you're in need of a gentle, meaningful story that'll feel like a warm hug~

K. O'Neill's art style and storytelling voice are clear, consistent, and beautiful across all of their works and The Moth Keeper is no exception. Tackling issues like feelings of otherness, abandonment, and isolation and tangentially touching on obsession bordering on addiction, this story feels larger in scope than their Tea Dragon Society books while still maintaining the coziness that their readers love. The artwork is absolutely stunning and the story is so kind. Anya and her journey are incredibly touching, and the people who care for her are absolutely endearing in their own ways. The way that the difficult topics in the story are addressed is done with such loving care that readers of all ages will be able to pull age- and experience-appropriate messages from the story. Overall, this is another perfect graphic novel for lovers of O'Neill s work.

The art of The Moth Keeper is stunning, as all of K. O'Neill's work always is. The storyline is also a special one, weaving fantasy into a tale of being different, finding your place and family, trusting others, and about the balance between work and rest.