Historical fiction about the 'value' of honest vs. imaginative news reporting, told from the perspective of two orphan boys who hawk the papers on the street corners of 1835 NYC.  Creative illustrations.  I, personally, found the art ugly, and the white text on gray background hard to read.  But this would be a fun read for some, and great for a classroom, for any age 8-13.  How much do you know about the time between the War for Independence and the Civil War?  I know almost nothing, and am glad to see a bit filled in by this smart picture-book. ( )

Interesting story with wildly imaginative illustrations. ( )

Based on a true event in the 1830s, this book tells the story of two newsboys who sell papers for the New York Sun. One week, their sales soar as the newspaper falsely reports the discovery of strange and fantastic creatures on the moon, thanks to a new and improved telescope.
Bisaillon's clever cut-paper collage illustrations juxtapose monochromatic depictions of the boys' everyday existence with vibrant, fantastical portrayals of the fictionalized moon scenes. This book would be an excellent introduction to media awareness. ( )

Two young newsboys depend on their day-to-day survival by selling newspapers. The two boys are overjoyed when the paper they sell, The Sun, begins a new series on startling discoveries on the moon. Day after day, the paper reveals new discoveries, including moon beavers, lakes of death, and serene flying creatures. Then it is learned that the stories are a hoax.

This story is based on true events and that added an air of authenticity to the piece. It was a new story to me; I liked that. The illustrations were made of paper and that was interesting.

“On Wednesday, the second article appeared. It described animals on the moon’s surface. There were herds of brown quadrupeds, like small bison, but with a hairy veil that crossed ‘the whole breadth of the forehead and united to the ears.’” ( )