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What first drew me into this book were the stunning watercolor illustrations. They are bright, yet soft, and so captivating. The story is about a sweet moose who sees himself as inadequate and plain, especially compared to his friends. His friends help him to see, that just like the agate stone, that true beauty lies within. This story has a positive message about self-esteem, and is one of my favorite books to share with my students. ( )

This came to me by way of Pixie Stix. I couldn't find it anywhere to get a closer look at it, so I special ordered it at the store. It is gorgeous! The text is fine- perhaps a bit message-driven, but the artwork is just fascinating. You can see some of it at agatethemoose.com, but the reproductions don't really do it justice. The flap copy says the art is watercolor, but it has a drippy, smeary quality that I associate with mixing oils and water, like when you marbleize paper. I'd love to know about her method. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this artist. ( )

Agate thinks he is ugly and doesn't have the same qualities of all his other friends. But his friends convince him how important he is. ( )

Stunning illustrations.

Moose can see the beauty in all of his friends, but not in himself. ( )