Page 10 FRIDAY, July 20, 2018
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
The IndependentCOMMUNITY Local author brings Chinese culture to life in The Shadow of the Moon
Christina Matula is a Barrhaven author now living in Hong Kong.
Chang’e must protect it. How can she keep the precious potion safe from the thief’s evil intentions? The sisters are mesmerized by Ah-ma’s retelling and the fact that the very mooncakes they enjoy each holiday are a symbol of this legend’s bravest soul. Vivid, colourful illustrations illuminate the pages - capturing the imagination of parents and children alike - inviting readers to gaze at the
cornflower blue evening and find Chang’e, the Spirit and Lady in the Moon. “The Shadow in the Moon teaches not only the origins of this captivating festival in Chinese culture, but also an understanding of its modern-day values of thanksgiving and uniting friends and families,” said Matula. Weina Dai Randel, the author of The Moon in the Palace, a RWA RITA Award Winner observes “Matula’s The Shadow in the Moon is timeless, appealing, and delicious. It features a heroic Chang’e, the ethereal Moon Lady who has fascinated many generations in China. I love it! I highly recommend this book to parents, and children, who are interested in the Chinese culture.” Matula is a great advocate of early childhood
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literacy and a Board Member of Bring Me A Book Hong Kong, a nonprofit organization that encourages families to read aloud together and
The Shadow of the Moon is Christina Matula’s first picture book. It celebrates the legend behind the Mid-Autumn Festival.
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provides quality books to under-served communities. The Shadow in the Moon is her first picture book.
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Matula, who is of Taiwanese and Hungarian heritage. “My inspiration was to capture the wonderful story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival for the first time in a picture book; to pass on some of my own heritage to my children, and indeed any child with a love of stories.” In Matula’s book, two sisters and their grandmother celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at home with their whole family. Their favourite part? Mooncakes, of course—along with Ahma’s story of the ancient legend of Hou Yi, a brave young archer, and his wife, Chang’e. A long, long time ago, Hou Yi rescued the earth from the heat of ten suns. The Immortals rewarded him with a magic potion that could let him live in the sky with them forever. But when a thief tries to steal the potion,
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For author and Barrhaven native Christina Matula, her latest project is all about sharing culture. Matula, who grew up in the community and attended Barrhaven Public School and then Confederation High School, recently released The Shadow in the Moon. Relocating to Hong Kong eleven years ago and subsequently with young children of her own, Matula was passionate about sharing a greater understanding of Chinese culture with the next generation. Unable to find a picture book about the legend behind the Mid-Autumn festival, a landmark in the Chinese calendar, it sparked the idea to write one herself. “Sharing stories from generation to generation is a time-honoured tradition in folklore,” said
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