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The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep
The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep will take you places no moose has gone before, well except for Mother Moose. Want to know the secret of Doing Great in School, Enjoying Healthful Sleep, and, uh, ...MAHHH Dingy Ding? Hang on for a ride into Outer Inner Space and read Maynard's Tale.
Moose language is translated in the Glossary at the front. A live field-recording of Maynard Moose is included. James Stimson's delightful artwork adds wit to every page and brilliantly renders the details. (Look for the tiny things.) Enjoy!
Moose language is translated in the Glossary at the front. A live field-recording of Maynard Moose is included. James Stimson's delightful artwork adds wit to every page and brilliantly renders the details. (Look for the tiny things.) Enjoy!
34 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2014
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 2, 2016
As a preschool director, I am always on the lookout for wonderful new books to add to our library. I received an eARC copy of this book to review and was really looking forward to reading it as many young children struggle with being able to go to sleep at times. Upon first opening the book, I realized that this was a story that I would not be able to share with my preschoolers based on the fact that it has too many words on a page; their attention span would not last through this entire book. Kindergarten students would be able to sit through this book with a master storyteller and certainly it is appropriate for grades 2 and up.
Mother Moose is a clever twist on Mother Goose and included an original nursery rhyme. The illustrations by James Stimson are delightful; he creates a soft, lovely world populated by friendly forest creatures. This is the element that I enjoyed the most.
While the story Claftin weaves is good, I could not get past the mechanics/prose that he chose to use. The book disregards proper grammar and is written in baby talk throughout. Even the adult characters speak incorrectly. As an educator, I just cannot imagine ever reading this book to children. Young children learn how to speak with proper grammar by adults modeling it correctly in daily conversation. Nor can I really get excited about the author's applying new meaning to words in the provided Moose Dictionary.
All that being said, I do feel that this book lends itself to audience participation. For instance, there are many times when sound effects are used in the book, and it would be fun to assign students to respond in some way to that. For instance, having a student ring a bell for "CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!" when read. I also think that Claflin told a story with a great deal of imagination - an I believe it is so important to expose our young children to imagination and encourage that in them.
Mother Moose is a clever twist on Mother Goose and included an original nursery rhyme. The illustrations by James Stimson are delightful; he creates a soft, lovely world populated by friendly forest creatures. This is the element that I enjoyed the most.
While the story Claftin weaves is good, I could not get past the mechanics/prose that he chose to use. The book disregards proper grammar and is written in baby talk throughout. Even the adult characters speak incorrectly. As an educator, I just cannot imagine ever reading this book to children. Young children learn how to speak with proper grammar by adults modeling it correctly in daily conversation. Nor can I really get excited about the author's applying new meaning to words in the provided Moose Dictionary.
All that being said, I do feel that this book lends itself to audience participation. For instance, there are many times when sound effects are used in the book, and it would be fun to assign students to respond in some way to that. For instance, having a student ring a bell for "CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!" when read. I also think that Claflin told a story with a great deal of imagination - an I believe it is so important to expose our young children to imagination and encourage that in them.
October 28, 2019
I am so confused about why this author chose to write an entire children's story with purposefully awful grammar. This is a cute story about a little moose who can't sleep and the forest animals she lives with. I like the idea that there's a Mother Moose (like Mother Goose, get it?) who is sort of a god who plants the stars and runs the world. There are really cute elements to this book, but why on earth do they talk this way???? It's almost like making fun of the beliefs and dialect of cultures that people deem uneducated. Not really funny, not really cute. Other reviewers call it baby talk, but the grown ups in this story and the narrator use it too, so I don't think it's attempting to be baby talk. Example: "Well, Little Moose, she would always drag along behind. She feel like her got a pillow stuffed between the ears. And the teachers shake their heads. “Little Moose does not pay detention. She does not learn good, like the brothers and sisters! And Little Moose, she feel bad."
Parts of this book are cute and sweet and creative. The glossary of the made up words at the start is cute and it's certainly a creative world, but I don't know about the choice of dialect.
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
Parts of this book are cute and sweet and creative. The glossary of the made up words at the start is cute and it's certainly a creative world, but I don't know about the choice of dialect.
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
July 20, 2014
Thank you to NetGally for awarding me with this book.
The pictures are adorable.
The language is cute.
The story is sweet.
Mother Moose Tales should be widely spread taught to all children.
Little Moose must have many adventures to be told.
I think the second sheep could have some wild tales to share also.
Now, I cannot read "Go the F*** to Sleep" without hearing it in Samuel L. Jackson's voice, because he read it. It was the best thing that could have happened to that story. If you have not seen it - utube it!
This little gem brought to me a voice in my head all on it's own.
ADAM SANDLER this book was written for you to read on film!!!
I did not think about how it should sound, It just HAPPENED! The words flowed out, and Adam Sandler's voice was the one in my head reading this cute story, you know the one. I bet a little song could even make it's way into the reading.
I recommend this book, and please give the voice a try when you read it - it SO TOTALLY works with the language & flow.
The pictures are adorable.
The language is cute.
The story is sweet.
Mother Moose Tales should be widely spread taught to all children.
Little Moose must have many adventures to be told.
I think the second sheep could have some wild tales to share also.
Now, I cannot read "Go the F*** to Sleep" without hearing it in Samuel L. Jackson's voice, because he read it. It was the best thing that could have happened to that story. If you have not seen it - utube it!
This little gem brought to me a voice in my head all on it's own.
ADAM SANDLER this book was written for you to read on film!!!
I did not think about how it should sound, It just HAPPENED! The words flowed out, and Adam Sandler's voice was the one in my head reading this cute story, you know the one. I bet a little song could even make it's way into the reading.
I recommend this book, and please give the voice a try when you read it - it SO TOTALLY works with the language & flow.
February 13, 2014
This is a really cute story. I loooooved the pictures, beautiful beautiful, really adorable. The book could be a 5 star kiddie book if it wasn't for the grammar.
What do I mean?
Well its partly written in "baby talk " and "ghetto mommese ", you know like "her wantin her some tea" kind of speech which puzzled me a bit considering they're moose. Why would moose talk like that?
But like I said, the story is super cute and the illustrations are too adorable for words. If my daughter was still little I would consider buying it.
I received a free digital book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
What do I mean?
Well its partly written in "baby talk " and "ghetto mommese ", you know like "her wantin her some tea" kind of speech which puzzled me a bit considering they're moose. Why would moose talk like that?
But like I said, the story is super cute and the illustrations are too adorable for words. If my daughter was still little I would consider buying it.
I received a free digital book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
February 14, 2014
I received The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Willy Claflin, James Stimson, and August House, Inc.
The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep didn't work out for my family. There were a few things that led to us not finishing the book. First of all, the repetitive lines of the story were too long and were irritating to me. Also throughout the book the Little Moose uses words that I would prefer my daughter not ever use, repeating the phrase "D'ow Phoo! Dumb and Stupid!" many times in the book. But the biggest problem for me is the intentional bad grammar and the "Moose Words" (like the "D'ow, Phoo" previously mentioned) that are in a glossary at the front of the book. That didn't make the book fun for us, in fact as I was reading it to my 5 year old daughter all I was thinking is that I didn't know or care what in the world this young moose was even talking about. And when I saw that my daughter wasn't even listening to me anymore, I asked if she wanted to read something different. She said yes, so we didn't finish this one. We only made it 17% through the book. I have quoted the book word for word below so that you can see for yourself if this nonsensical language and grammar would work for you. The "Moose Words" are in bold, as they are in the book as well.
I do want to point out one great part of the book - the illustrations. They are colorful and I did skim through the book to look at the pictures. The pictures are the only reason this book is getting two stars instead of one.
Overall, I feel like this is a one star book because of the way it is written. It doesn't make sense, and not in a silly, fun way, but in a way that repeatedly uses words like "dumb" and "stupid" and uses nonsense words to try to engage the young reader. I don't see any educational or entertainment value in this. The book is way too long and filled with grammar that is horrible at a time when I am trying to teach my daughter the correct pronunciation of words and the correct way to use those words in a sentence. The author calls it Moose language, but to me it just sounds like baby talk, which is not what we should be teaching our children.
Excerpt from the book:
Well, Little Moose, she would always drag along behind. She feel
like her got a pillow stuffed between the ears. And the teachers shake
their heads. “Little Moose does not pay detention. She does not learn
good, like the brothers and sisters!”
And Little Moose, she feel bad.
“Listen,” say the Mommy Moose, “tonight, when you go to bed, I want
you to breathe slow and peacie-ful, OK?”
“OK!” Say Little Moose.Her go to bed that night, tuckee the self in, under the little bankee with the duckies and the zebras.
“I like my little bankee with the duckie and the zebra!” say Little Moose.
“Duckies and Zebras on my bankee—dum-de-dum de-dum.... Huh! I
wonder why they have picked duckee and zebra to put on my bankee?
I mean, you could have a elephump and flamingo bankee. That would make
a nice bankee—elephump and flamingo bankee...you could have any
amunal you would like. You could have...you could have banana and tarantula!
‘Cause I have heard that tarantula like bananas. I wonder if a banana
could like a tarantula? Do you think you would have to be a amunal to like
something? Or could a fruit or a vegetable like something? I wonder that.
Or you could have a vegetable on your bankee. You could have a picture of
a eggplant or some corns on the cob! Or a picture of a radish or some
mashed potato. But not Real mashed potato, ‘cause that would gunk up your bankee. Hard to wash off your bankee....
Or you know what you could have? You could have a bed that would be like a soft bathtub full of mashed potato... nice warm mashed potato—And when you would turn over at night it would go shklork!—like that! In the morning, though, you would have to wash out your fur. And how would you wash your bed-clothes? I mean, your bed-potatoes—how would you wash your bed-potatoes...I mean, what if...?”
The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep didn't work out for my family. There were a few things that led to us not finishing the book. First of all, the repetitive lines of the story were too long and were irritating to me. Also throughout the book the Little Moose uses words that I would prefer my daughter not ever use, repeating the phrase "D'ow Phoo! Dumb and Stupid!" many times in the book. But the biggest problem for me is the intentional bad grammar and the "Moose Words" (like the "D'ow, Phoo" previously mentioned) that are in a glossary at the front of the book. That didn't make the book fun for us, in fact as I was reading it to my 5 year old daughter all I was thinking is that I didn't know or care what in the world this young moose was even talking about. And when I saw that my daughter wasn't even listening to me anymore, I asked if she wanted to read something different. She said yes, so we didn't finish this one. We only made it 17% through the book. I have quoted the book word for word below so that you can see for yourself if this nonsensical language and grammar would work for you. The "Moose Words" are in bold, as they are in the book as well.
I do want to point out one great part of the book - the illustrations. They are colorful and I did skim through the book to look at the pictures. The pictures are the only reason this book is getting two stars instead of one.
Overall, I feel like this is a one star book because of the way it is written. It doesn't make sense, and not in a silly, fun way, but in a way that repeatedly uses words like "dumb" and "stupid" and uses nonsense words to try to engage the young reader. I don't see any educational or entertainment value in this. The book is way too long and filled with grammar that is horrible at a time when I am trying to teach my daughter the correct pronunciation of words and the correct way to use those words in a sentence. The author calls it Moose language, but to me it just sounds like baby talk, which is not what we should be teaching our children.
Excerpt from the book:
Well, Little Moose, she would always drag along behind. She feel
like her got a pillow stuffed between the ears. And the teachers shake
their heads. “Little Moose does not pay detention. She does not learn
good, like the brothers and sisters!”
And Little Moose, she feel bad.
“Listen,” say the Mommy Moose, “tonight, when you go to bed, I want
you to breathe slow and peacie-ful, OK?”
“OK!” Say Little Moose.Her go to bed that night, tuckee the self in, under the little bankee with the duckies and the zebras.
“I like my little bankee with the duckie and the zebra!” say Little Moose.
“Duckies and Zebras on my bankee—dum-de-dum de-dum.... Huh! I
wonder why they have picked duckee and zebra to put on my bankee?
I mean, you could have a elephump and flamingo bankee. That would make
a nice bankee—elephump and flamingo bankee...you could have any
amunal you would like. You could have...you could have banana and tarantula!
‘Cause I have heard that tarantula like bananas. I wonder if a banana
could like a tarantula? Do you think you would have to be a amunal to like
something? Or could a fruit or a vegetable like something? I wonder that.
Or you could have a vegetable on your bankee. You could have a picture of
a eggplant or some corns on the cob! Or a picture of a radish or some
mashed potato. But not Real mashed potato, ‘cause that would gunk up your bankee. Hard to wash off your bankee....
Or you know what you could have? You could have a bed that would be like a soft bathtub full of mashed potato... nice warm mashed potato—And when you would turn over at night it would go shklork!—like that! In the morning, though, you would have to wash out your fur. And how would you wash your bed-clothes? I mean, your bed-potatoes—how would you wash your bed-potatoes...I mean, what if...?”
September 30, 2015
{my thoughts} – This book reminds me much of Mother Goose type tales. It is nicely written and the illustrations go well with the story. I do find this to be a rather long bedtime type story. I haven’t read it to my children but I did read it while sitting here at my desk. The odd words in place of other words made me think of Dr. Suess and his method of writing. I suppose what this book would be in a sense is Mother Goose meets Dr. Suess. I know strange. It is a very nice book and I am sure many children may love and enjoy hearing this tale over and over again.
I look forward to being able to read the rest of this collection because it is the type of children’s book that is unique and can be highly memorable for anyone child’s childhood. This book is the tale about a young moose that is having a difficult time sleeping at night and therefore has problems focusing in school. I Can see how this could be a good book to use as a lesson learner. My children always complain about needing to go to bed at a specific time and because of that it is sometimes hard for them to fall asleep.
When they do finally fall asleep they have issues waking up in the morning and functioning like a child should. They are just sleepy all day and want to fall asleep in school and because of that things are difficult and rough and things aren’t always good. However, when they do get plenty of sleep they wake up in happy moods and have great days at school. This book could be a means to show that that they need to sleep in order to do well the next day. I enjoyed this book because as I was reading through it, it made me think of the difficult times we have some nights getting our children to go to bed. I plan to read this book to my children in the very near future.
I also look forward to reading more tales in this collection.
I look forward to being able to read the rest of this collection because it is the type of children’s book that is unique and can be highly memorable for anyone child’s childhood. This book is the tale about a young moose that is having a difficult time sleeping at night and therefore has problems focusing in school. I Can see how this could be a good book to use as a lesson learner. My children always complain about needing to go to bed at a specific time and because of that it is sometimes hard for them to fall asleep.
When they do finally fall asleep they have issues waking up in the morning and functioning like a child should. They are just sleepy all day and want to fall asleep in school and because of that things are difficult and rough and things aren’t always good. However, when they do get plenty of sleep they wake up in happy moods and have great days at school. This book could be a means to show that that they need to sleep in order to do well the next day. I enjoyed this book because as I was reading through it, it made me think of the difficult times we have some nights getting our children to go to bed. I plan to read this book to my children in the very near future.
I also look forward to reading more tales in this collection.
January 8, 2014
Title: The Little Moose Who Could Not Go To Sleep - A Maynard Moose Tale
Author: Willy Claflin
Illustrator: James Stimson
Publisher: August House / Little Folk
Published: 1-6-2014
ISBN: 978-1-93160-67-6
Pages: 40
Genre: Children's Books
Tags:
Maynard Moose can be found in the forest during the full moon telling the stories of old to the woodland creatures both young and old. When it is not the full moon he will often go to the home of his youngest kin, his cousin Little Moose. "The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go To Sleep" is one such story he told. This is the translation of Willy Claflin as he is one of the very few who can speak Moose. Mr. Claflin has kindly offered a glossary of some of the words and phrases that do not translate easily into English.
This particular story is about Little Moose who can not go to sleep at night, because her mind just will not stop working. So when her mother comes to wake her and her brothers and sisters were all bright eyes and roaring to go, Little Moose felt like she had two pillows between her ears. She could not concentrate in school and her parents and teaches were worried she was falling behind. Everyone had a suggestion for Little Moose to try. Then the answer comes from somewhere else.
Follow poor Little Moose as she tries so hard to go to sleep each night and find out why she can not. How does she finally over come the problem to get a good night's sleep? This adorable story, which has been passed down through Maynard Moose's family for generations is bound to entertain the young readers in your life. The great illustrations will fire their imaginations as well. If you want a book that will spark the interest in your new book lover then this is one of the most delightful.
Author: Willy Claflin
Illustrator: James Stimson
Publisher: August House / Little Folk
Published: 1-6-2014
ISBN: 978-1-93160-67-6
Pages: 40
Genre: Children's Books
Tags:
Maynard Moose can be found in the forest during the full moon telling the stories of old to the woodland creatures both young and old. When it is not the full moon he will often go to the home of his youngest kin, his cousin Little Moose. "The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go To Sleep" is one such story he told. This is the translation of Willy Claflin as he is one of the very few who can speak Moose. Mr. Claflin has kindly offered a glossary of some of the words and phrases that do not translate easily into English.
This particular story is about Little Moose who can not go to sleep at night, because her mind just will not stop working. So when her mother comes to wake her and her brothers and sisters were all bright eyes and roaring to go, Little Moose felt like she had two pillows between her ears. She could not concentrate in school and her parents and teaches were worried she was falling behind. Everyone had a suggestion for Little Moose to try. Then the answer comes from somewhere else.
Follow poor Little Moose as she tries so hard to go to sleep each night and find out why she can not. How does she finally over come the problem to get a good night's sleep? This adorable story, which has been passed down through Maynard Moose's family for generations is bound to entertain the young readers in your life. The great illustrations will fire their imaginations as well. If you want a book that will spark the interest in your new book lover then this is one of the most delightful.
September 24, 2014
As a person with a sleeping issues I loved this quirky tale of Little Moose who was having difficulty leaving the day behind and heading off to slumber and how her Cousin Maynard the Moose saves the day by telling her moose tales.
Willy Claflin has found a sweet and appealing way to not only help children understand the reasons why you need to sleep and the costs of not sleeping, but to give them special time with parents.
I do wonder (as I did when I read books of this ilk to my son when he was young), is it necessary to talk down or in this case read down to children? Why can’t a child be trying to get to sleep for the purpose of the story, why do we have to give human qualities to animals (anthropomorphism)? Not that I don’t think this book and the whole Maynard Moose series isn’t fun, it is, especially the Moose to English dictionary bits, and the moose dialect, but why do we have to make moose cute and cuddly? They aren’t. I think children would also appreciate facts, not always fantasy.
The best part of this book and series, for me are the engaging illustrations by James Stimson.
I think this might have been a tad frenetic for a bedtime story for my son, but all children are different.
Willy Claflin has found a sweet and appealing way to not only help children understand the reasons why you need to sleep and the costs of not sleeping, but to give them special time with parents.
I do wonder (as I did when I read books of this ilk to my son when he was young), is it necessary to talk down or in this case read down to children? Why can’t a child be trying to get to sleep for the purpose of the story, why do we have to give human qualities to animals (anthropomorphism)? Not that I don’t think this book and the whole Maynard Moose series isn’t fun, it is, especially the Moose to English dictionary bits, and the moose dialect, but why do we have to make moose cute and cuddly? They aren’t. I think children would also appreciate facts, not always fantasy.
The best part of this book and series, for me are the engaging illustrations by James Stimson.
I think this might have been a tad frenetic for a bedtime story for my son, but all children are different.
August 9, 2014
Mother Moose stories! Little Moose cannot go to sleep because she has too many things running through her mind. She is tired everyday, and as it shows on the blackboard, she is the worry of her teachers and principal. They all want her to succeed in school and work together to come up with a plan to help her sleep. While Little Moose does not like going to bed early or legumes, she tries them both. The solution comes with the help of sheep #2!
The glossary in the beginning of the book is great. I'm not sure I could have done the book justice without that helpful hint! It always helps to know the native language and cadence of the storyteller. I love the artwork, especially that sheep #2 is wearing a #2 on its back. It's important not to get it mixed up with sheep 1 or 3!
This is an adorable storybook. If my kids were younger I could see myself reading this to them before bed. I recommend The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep 5 stars.
The glossary in the beginning of the book is great. I'm not sure I could have done the book justice without that helpful hint! It always helps to know the native language and cadence of the storyteller. I love the artwork, especially that sheep #2 is wearing a #2 on its back. It's important not to get it mixed up with sheep 1 or 3!
This is an adorable storybook. If my kids were younger I could see myself reading this to them before bed. I recommend The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep 5 stars.
December 2, 2020
I LOVE Maynard the Moose and if you don't read this stories with the accompanying CD, they really aren't as wonderful.
This Maynard tale was pretty serious and less hilarious as some of the previous ones. Still, it was a cute story and listening to Maynard is entertaining enough.
The Uglified Ducky is still my favorite Maynard tale
This Maynard tale was pretty serious and less hilarious as some of the previous ones. Still, it was a cute story and listening to Maynard is entertaining enough.
The Uglified Ducky is still my favorite Maynard tale
May 17, 2019
Not a fan. Super long and the audio cd is done in an annoying accent.
September 8, 2019
The story is OK, too long. The illustrations are fine but nothing special.
March 29, 2024
Fun bedtime story
August 6, 2016
A Bedtime Story About Bedtime
The first "Mother Moose" book that I read was "The Bully Goat Grim". While I liked it very much, it seemed very demanding as a bed time story. Lots of characters, lots of action, a twisty plot, silly words, high energy - it seemed like it required close attention and exhibited the kind of energy that was a bit at odds with a bedtime story. (That's not to say "Bully Goat" isn't fun; it's just not exactly a calming influence.)
Well, here's another Maynard Moose story and this one seems to slip quite nicely into that comfy bedtime role. Little Moose can't get to sleep because her mind just keeps racing when she's in bed and she can't settle down and drift off to sleep. Neither eating legumes nor going to bed earlier helps. Counting sheep does help, once one of the sheep comes to life and takes Little Moose to visit Mother Moose's cabin in the sky.
There are four recurring set pieces, each of which is different and each of which is funny or touching in a different way. First off, we get examples of Little Moose's mind racing all over as she tries to sleep. This is just free association stream of consciousness stuff and is the closest we'll ever get to being in a little kid's head. In between, we get Mommy and Daddy Moose trying to help, and that is very kind and gentle. On top of that we have Little Moose getting into trouble at school because she is so drowsy and unfocused. There are some pretty sharp little points made here at the expense of school adminstrators, which will be lost on kids but might amuse the parent who's reading this. Finally, we have the arrival of the helpful sheep and the trip to Mother Moose's cabin, which is magical and satisfying in a completely matter-of-fact and not-cutesy way.
The upshot is that you have funny mixed-up words, cockeyed story telling, odd characters, a silly plot, and a certain sense of off kilter anarchy. Kids love that, especially if it's coming from Mom or Dad. Doesn't that sound like a nice treat for every now and then?
An added bonus is that the drawings are offbeat, angular, out of proportion and stylized with a real sense of humor and fun. Some of the art is practically frameable, which is a huge step up from the often just cute or serviceable illustrations in some books. This seems like the kind of book that encourages you to draw the listener in to the pictures and to point out funny bits. What an appealing extra.
So, a solid, unique and pretty satisfying choice for adventurous readers and listeners.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
The first "Mother Moose" book that I read was "The Bully Goat Grim". While I liked it very much, it seemed very demanding as a bed time story. Lots of characters, lots of action, a twisty plot, silly words, high energy - it seemed like it required close attention and exhibited the kind of energy that was a bit at odds with a bedtime story. (That's not to say "Bully Goat" isn't fun; it's just not exactly a calming influence.)
Well, here's another Maynard Moose story and this one seems to slip quite nicely into that comfy bedtime role. Little Moose can't get to sleep because her mind just keeps racing when she's in bed and she can't settle down and drift off to sleep. Neither eating legumes nor going to bed earlier helps. Counting sheep does help, once one of the sheep comes to life and takes Little Moose to visit Mother Moose's cabin in the sky.
There are four recurring set pieces, each of which is different and each of which is funny or touching in a different way. First off, we get examples of Little Moose's mind racing all over as she tries to sleep. This is just free association stream of consciousness stuff and is the closest we'll ever get to being in a little kid's head. In between, we get Mommy and Daddy Moose trying to help, and that is very kind and gentle. On top of that we have Little Moose getting into trouble at school because she is so drowsy and unfocused. There are some pretty sharp little points made here at the expense of school adminstrators, which will be lost on kids but might amuse the parent who's reading this. Finally, we have the arrival of the helpful sheep and the trip to Mother Moose's cabin, which is magical and satisfying in a completely matter-of-fact and not-cutesy way.
The upshot is that you have funny mixed-up words, cockeyed story telling, odd characters, a silly plot, and a certain sense of off kilter anarchy. Kids love that, especially if it's coming from Mom or Dad. Doesn't that sound like a nice treat for every now and then?
An added bonus is that the drawings are offbeat, angular, out of proportion and stylized with a real sense of humor and fun. Some of the art is practically frameable, which is a huge step up from the often just cute or serviceable illustrations in some books. This seems like the kind of book that encourages you to draw the listener in to the pictures and to point out funny bits. What an appealing extra.
So, a solid, unique and pretty satisfying choice for adventurous readers and listeners.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
January 10, 2014
The Little Moose is about a child moose that is having trouble sleeping and cannot get to school and function. It is about how the little moose deals with her inability to fall asleep and the various mind-controlling things she thinks about as she is falling asleep that keep her awake. I think that the author is making a play on the Old Mother Goose stories and calling them the Old Mother Moose stories, which I think is adorable and I love Moose. I am currently living in Vermont and someday I will see one (from afar hopefully).
This was an adorable story of problem-solving and helping kids find ways to fall asleep, but there were a few things that I think my be a problem. Some of the things that I loved were the beautiful, vibrant colors and pictures. I loved seeing the little moose and all the things she was thinking about at night.
Some of the quirkiness of the book is the glossary of Moose-speak, where the author teaches the reader the definition of made-up words and uses throughout the book. Some are interesting and fun ways of saying words, others really are just baby talk like “bankee” for blanket, “purpee” for purple. Moose speak throughout the story is a little strange, the author warns you about it, but also as an adult reading this to a child (or a child reading it) it may encourage improper speech for kids being entertained by reading it. I know that some books use this to relate to small children and maybe that works well.
I am not a parent yet, I only have young siblings, so I am not sure of the impact of this type of writing/reading on the younger populations.
Overall it was a fun book, the colors are wonderful, the illustrations are imaginative and fun (any kid will love them) and the story is adorable and teaches young that counting sheep may help put them to sleep.
Disclaimer: This ebook was received from the publisher through netgalley and in no way effects the review above.
This was an adorable story of problem-solving and helping kids find ways to fall asleep, but there were a few things that I think my be a problem. Some of the things that I loved were the beautiful, vibrant colors and pictures. I loved seeing the little moose and all the things she was thinking about at night.
Some of the quirkiness of the book is the glossary of Moose-speak, where the author teaches the reader the definition of made-up words and uses throughout the book. Some are interesting and fun ways of saying words, others really are just baby talk like “bankee” for blanket, “purpee” for purple. Moose speak throughout the story is a little strange, the author warns you about it, but also as an adult reading this to a child (or a child reading it) it may encourage improper speech for kids being entertained by reading it. I know that some books use this to relate to small children and maybe that works well.
I am not a parent yet, I only have young siblings, so I am not sure of the impact of this type of writing/reading on the younger populations.
Overall it was a fun book, the colors are wonderful, the illustrations are imaginative and fun (any kid will love them) and the story is adorable and teaches young that counting sheep may help put them to sleep.
Disclaimer: This ebook was received from the publisher through netgalley and in no way effects the review above.
March 3, 2014
I read this book to my five year old. My son got a couple fun laughs from the book. It's fun to read, and you need to have a certain moose-voice to really get into it. A little deeper and slower than normal. The moose-kind talk a bit differently with some funny words (the book includes a handy-dandy dictionary) and a bit of “he say he hungry” improper English. I didn't mind it for moose-speak, but I would have preferred proper diction for the narration parts of the story.
This was like a little moose fairy tale. The importance of getting a good night's sleep to function well the next day, plus some silly interactions with a helpful sheep. My son was disturbed that the teachers at school said unkind things about the sheep, but he truly enjoyed the adventure, the words, and the different voices necessary for moose-speak.
Three to five years old seems about the perfect age for it, although some of the words are a little over the head of a five year old. Also, I have to downgrade a bit for throwing in the words dumb and stupid. My son knows those words by having an older brother, but those aren't words I want him repeating and they're unnecessary for a young children's book.
Overall, a fun, engaging story, but we probably won't read it often and if you're quicker than me, you'll probably change a couple words as you read to avoid exposing your young kids to more questionable language.
I received a complementary ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of Lieto Fine.
This was like a little moose fairy tale. The importance of getting a good night's sleep to function well the next day, plus some silly interactions with a helpful sheep. My son was disturbed that the teachers at school said unkind things about the sheep, but he truly enjoyed the adventure, the words, and the different voices necessary for moose-speak.
Three to five years old seems about the perfect age for it, although some of the words are a little over the head of a five year old. Also, I have to downgrade a bit for throwing in the words dumb and stupid. My son knows those words by having an older brother, but those aren't words I want him repeating and they're unnecessary for a young children's book.
Overall, a fun, engaging story, but we probably won't read it often and if you're quicker than me, you'll probably change a couple words as you read to avoid exposing your young kids to more questionable language.
I received a complementary ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of Lieto Fine.
February 10, 2015
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The pictures themselves were absolutely adorable. The story was a cute fairy tale about a little moose who has trouble going to sleep. My daughter and I got a few laughs out of it. The story seems to be geared towards a younger age, perhaps 3-5ish. However there were some reasons I would not pick this for my learning to read age children. I am a reader who loves doing voices when I read and I thought the moose-talk was cute and fun while he was speaking. But the narration in it is also filled with improper English. It isn't cute when the narration reads, "And when she tuckee the self in, under the bankee with the duckies and the zebras, she driftee right off to sleep." When little moose says, "lay-goomes" it's cute.
I liked how it showed that not getting enough sleep can affect the next day at school. I wasn't a fan of little moose saying, "dumb and stupid" everytime he had to go to bed early. For a young child's book it is pretty long-winded, some of the sections go on and on and some of the words seem to go over the head of younger children. The answer to finding a way for little moose going to sleep ends up being taking a magical trip with a sheep to get tea from Mother Moose's house.
Overall, it was fun, my 9 year old got a good chuckle out of it, but probably not one I'd read often to my little ones. And not one I would try to read with a learning reader.
The pictures themselves were absolutely adorable. The story was a cute fairy tale about a little moose who has trouble going to sleep. My daughter and I got a few laughs out of it. The story seems to be geared towards a younger age, perhaps 3-5ish. However there were some reasons I would not pick this for my learning to read age children. I am a reader who loves doing voices when I read and I thought the moose-talk was cute and fun while he was speaking. But the narration in it is also filled with improper English. It isn't cute when the narration reads, "And when she tuckee the self in, under the bankee with the duckies and the zebras, she driftee right off to sleep." When little moose says, "lay-goomes" it's cute.
I liked how it showed that not getting enough sleep can affect the next day at school. I wasn't a fan of little moose saying, "dumb and stupid" everytime he had to go to bed early. For a young child's book it is pretty long-winded, some of the sections go on and on and some of the words seem to go over the head of younger children. The answer to finding a way for little moose going to sleep ends up being taking a magical trip with a sheep to get tea from Mother Moose's house.
Overall, it was fun, my 9 year old got a good chuckle out of it, but probably not one I'd read often to my little ones. And not one I would try to read with a learning reader.
August 7, 2014
This is the second Maynard Moose story I have read, and it's illustrations were just as lovely as in the first. The story, however, fell a little flat. All of the other Moose stories are retellings of famous fairy tales (Billy Goats Grim, Rapunzel, etc.) but I know of no other original tale like this one. All it reminded me was of the Bert & Ernie sketch where Ernie couldn't sleep and the sheep end up carrying Bert's bed away. Anyway, in this tale, a young Moose's mind is so full of thoughts and ideas that she can't sleep! She tries counting sheep, and Sheep #2 carries her away to Mother Moose's house for some very special tea that puts her right to sleep. Sooo I'm really not sure what the moral or point of the story was?
I also had the same issue that I had with the other Maynard Moose book I read: the intentionally poor grammar. I get that it's a joke that Moose speak in not-so-perfect English, and older children who have a good grasp on English would find it funny too, but for children learning to read I think this sends the wrong message (and they would struggle to read it themselves when it's breaking all the rules their teacher taught them!) I also wondered a bit who the intended audience is: it seems written for the very young, yet each page has so many words I find it hard to believe that kindergartners would be able to sit through it.
I also had the same issue that I had with the other Maynard Moose book I read: the intentionally poor grammar. I get that it's a joke that Moose speak in not-so-perfect English, and older children who have a good grasp on English would find it funny too, but for children learning to read I think this sends the wrong message (and they would struggle to read it themselves when it's breaking all the rules their teacher taught them!) I also wondered a bit who the intended audience is: it seems written for the very young, yet each page has so many words I find it hard to believe that kindergartners would be able to sit through it.
January 12, 2014
I first discovered the wonderful stories of Maynard Moose in May 2013. I was shopping in the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN and came across Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarves and >The Bully Goat Grimm. When I saw a new Mother Moose tale by Maynard listed on NetGalley, I just had to try it out.
The story that Maynard tells his cousin, Little Moose, is a zany bedtime tale full of sheep, deep thoughts, tea, and legumes. The little moose in Maynard's story can't sleep because every time she goes to bed, "an idea would come into the brain part - Boing! Boing! - and bunk around there all night long." Adult readers will certainly be able to sympathize with having a brain that will not stop thinking long enough to drift off to sleep. And younger readers will appreciate the little moose's disgust with having to eat big bowls of legumes and going to bed an hour early.
The foreword warns readers (or those who listen along with the CD) that Modern Moose is a very different language than the English that humans use.Never fear, there is a glossary provided to help with the more unusual Moose terms.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys humor, bedtime stories, or good story-telling.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
The story that Maynard tells his cousin, Little Moose, is a zany bedtime tale full of sheep, deep thoughts, tea, and legumes. The little moose in Maynard's story can't sleep because every time she goes to bed, "an idea would come into the brain part - Boing! Boing! - and bunk around there all night long." Adult readers will certainly be able to sympathize with having a brain that will not stop thinking long enough to drift off to sleep. And younger readers will appreciate the little moose's disgust with having to eat big bowls of legumes and going to bed an hour early.
The foreword warns readers (or those who listen along with the CD) that Modern Moose is a very different language than the English that humans use.Never fear, there is a glossary provided to help with the more unusual Moose terms.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys humor, bedtime stories, or good story-telling.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
January 27, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley for review.
I wanted to love this story much more than I did. The illustrations are very pretty and imaginative children who struggle with quieting their brains at bedtime would be able to identify with the eponymoose Little Moose. Her wandering thoughts are adorable and hilarious.
However, the narration was unnecessary and the book didn't bring it full circle, so we basically forgot that Maynard was telling the story. The story could also have been shortened so that younger readers would be able to sustain their attention.
I am also not sure it's kosher to use incorrect grammar in a children's book, as this is the stage at which they are learning language and it may confuse them. I think it is cute that the moose have their own language, but I would have preferred the "language" be puns or made-up like Dr. Seuss (which is what I was expecting and in fact, some of the words were, like shklork) rather than making the moose seem uneducated. Some parents may also not like that there are some "mean words" like "dumb" and "stupid."
If the story were cut nearly in half, the narration element removed, and the language changed, this would be a 4 or 5 star story.
I wanted to love this story much more than I did. The illustrations are very pretty and imaginative children who struggle with quieting their brains at bedtime would be able to identify with the eponymoose Little Moose. Her wandering thoughts are adorable and hilarious.
However, the narration was unnecessary and the book didn't bring it full circle, so we basically forgot that Maynard was telling the story. The story could also have been shortened so that younger readers would be able to sustain their attention.
I am also not sure it's kosher to use incorrect grammar in a children's book, as this is the stage at which they are learning language and it may confuse them. I think it is cute that the moose have their own language, but I would have preferred the "language" be puns or made-up like Dr. Seuss (which is what I was expecting and in fact, some of the words were, like shklork) rather than making the moose seem uneducated. Some parents may also not like that there are some "mean words" like "dumb" and "stupid."
If the story were cut nearly in half, the narration element removed, and the language changed, this would be a 4 or 5 star story.
January 9, 2014
This was my very first introduction to a Maynard Moose Tale. I did not quite know what to expect, but I was completely open and willing to find out.
I was attracted to this book initially because of the artwork and the title. All of the illustrations were colorful and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the minor details on the pages. I found myself not wanting to miss a thing.
The storyline was simple and easy to relate to. I was interested in seeing what the outcome would be.
The characters were entertaining. They had personality and strong voices.
The language was interesting. Thankfully the breakdown of terms clarified matters. The funny thing about the moose vocabulary and the expressive language used in the story is that it was all too cute for words, but it was also a no no. I found myself wanting to clean up the language as I read the book to my kids. (Language development and skill building are critical. I struggled with this piece. A little less is more would have been okay with me.)
I did not like the use of the word "stupid." Period.
Finally, I loved the traveling adventure that Moose and Sheep went on. The simple remedy they found for Moose was spot on.
I was attracted to this book initially because of the artwork and the title. All of the illustrations were colorful and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the minor details on the pages. I found myself not wanting to miss a thing.
The storyline was simple and easy to relate to. I was interested in seeing what the outcome would be.
The characters were entertaining. They had personality and strong voices.
The language was interesting. Thankfully the breakdown of terms clarified matters. The funny thing about the moose vocabulary and the expressive language used in the story is that it was all too cute for words, but it was also a no no. I found myself wanting to clean up the language as I read the book to my kids. (Language development and skill building are critical. I struggled with this piece. A little less is more would have been okay with me.)
I did not like the use of the word "stupid." Period.
Finally, I loved the traveling adventure that Moose and Sheep went on. The simple remedy they found for Moose was spot on.
February 24, 2014
My Thoughts On The Book: I am not a huge fan of reviewing children's books, but every now and then I will pick one that looks good and I have to admit I loved the plot of this book. It was absolutely adorable. The moose vocabulary in the beginning was cute and it was a unique way to make the story fun. It reminded me of Mother Goose meets Dr. Seuss and I am a huge fan of both. As a High School English teacher my biggest problem with the book was that I did not like the grammar usage. I stuggle with students with poor grammar and this would just add fuel to the fire. I have an issue with teaching children poor grammar. I understood the fact that the language spoken in the story was moose....but could moose not have used better grammar?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book through Netgalley.com. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book through Netgalley.com. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
March 21, 2014
The Little Moose includes all of the elements of a great children's book. The illustrations are vibrant, the vocabulary is fun, and the story builds around the simple yet mysterious struggle that a young moose has with going to sleep, especially when there are so many important things to think about. Although some readers might complain that the grammar wasn't correct, the author explains that he's translating "Moose" into English and had some "difficulties". This makes for some really fun word experimentation; the book was made to be read out loud, with lots of examples of onomatopoeia, and introduces silly ways of pronouncing big adult words.
My one complaint would be that it didn't read very well from my Kindle. As an e-book, some better formatting might be required. You can make the book landscape, but it makes it very difficult to make the font readable.
However, as a hardcover, the book would be a perfect bed time story for a young child, especially if the reader adds their own unique "moose voice" to the narrative.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My one complaint would be that it didn't read very well from my Kindle. As an e-book, some better formatting might be required. You can make the book landscape, but it makes it very difficult to make the font readable.
However, as a hardcover, the book would be a perfect bed time story for a young child, especially if the reader adds their own unique "moose voice" to the narrative.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2014
Maynard Moose is a story teller and can often be found telling tales by the bedside of his cousin Little Moose.
This particular story is about a little Moose who has a hard time getting to sleep at night and as a result finds herself struggling at school. She tries a number of different things before finding a solution.
The book comes with the following warning:
THIS BOOK CONTAINS MOOSE GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND USAGE. ALL OF WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO SCRUMBLE UP THE HUMAN BRAIN.
Let's just say that my brain was sufficiently scrumbled by the time I reached the end of the book but my progress was made easier by the inclusion of a Moose/English glossary.
I was a little put off by the way it's written but I do understand that this is the moose style of speaking intended by the author and I thought that the unique moose vocabulary was a fun addition.
The story itself feels a bit like a fairy tale and both adult readers and children will be able to relate to certain aspects of it. The illustrations are super cute and are a perfect match for the sweet nature of the story.
This particular story is about a little Moose who has a hard time getting to sleep at night and as a result finds herself struggling at school. She tries a number of different things before finding a solution.
The book comes with the following warning:
THIS BOOK CONTAINS MOOSE GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND USAGE. ALL OF WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO SCRUMBLE UP THE HUMAN BRAIN.
Let's just say that my brain was sufficiently scrumbled by the time I reached the end of the book but my progress was made easier by the inclusion of a Moose/English glossary.
I was a little put off by the way it's written but I do understand that this is the moose style of speaking intended by the author and I thought that the unique moose vocabulary was a fun addition.
The story itself feels a bit like a fairy tale and both adult readers and children will be able to relate to certain aspects of it. The illustrations are super cute and are a perfect match for the sweet nature of the story.
January 9, 2014
Picture
Maynard Moose has a story to share with you...
Complete with specialized Moose Language (don't worry, there's a glosary!), Maynard Moose tells the tale of a Moose who could not go to sleep. Little Moose just can't seem to fall asleep at night, instead she stays awake thinking all sorts of interesting thoughts. By the time Mommy Moose wakes Little Moose up in the morning, Little Moose is so tired that she feels like she has a "pillow stuffed between the ears." Little Moose can not concentrate in school and learn to count to three (did you know moose can only count to three?).
This is a charming story of Little Moose that many children can relate too. Can falling asleep be fun? Little Moose will help kids find out. Charming pictures and whimsical moose speak fill the pages to keep kids entertained. A wonderful story to read with children before bed.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
Maynard Moose has a story to share with you...
Complete with specialized Moose Language (don't worry, there's a glosary!), Maynard Moose tells the tale of a Moose who could not go to sleep. Little Moose just can't seem to fall asleep at night, instead she stays awake thinking all sorts of interesting thoughts. By the time Mommy Moose wakes Little Moose up in the morning, Little Moose is so tired that she feels like she has a "pillow stuffed between the ears." Little Moose can not concentrate in school and learn to count to three (did you know moose can only count to three?).
This is a charming story of Little Moose that many children can relate too. Can falling asleep be fun? Little Moose will help kids find out. Charming pictures and whimsical moose speak fill the pages to keep kids entertained. A wonderful story to read with children before bed.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
August 13, 2016
I so often wish that the illustrations and the text in picture books could be separated out into different books. I love James Stimson's illustrations for The Little Moose Who Couldn't Go to Sleep, and the plot of the story isn't that bad, but I do not like the way in which the book is written at all.
Readers are warned "This book contains moose grammar, spelling, and usage, all of which has been known to scrumble up the human brain," which led me to expect a fun or quirky writing style. Instead, the "moose speak" reminds me of the baby-talk some grown-ups use to speak to toddlers. The words are close enough to English words (or, in some cases, they are English words but used for different purposes than their true definitions) that, instead of being funny, it just winds up teaching kids improper English. Claflin's concept of "moose speak" isn't bad, but I do think his execution of it is.
Note: I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.
Readers are warned "This book contains moose grammar, spelling, and usage, all of which has been known to scrumble up the human brain," which led me to expect a fun or quirky writing style. Instead, the "moose speak" reminds me of the baby-talk some grown-ups use to speak to toddlers. The words are close enough to English words (or, in some cases, they are English words but used for different purposes than their true definitions) that, instead of being funny, it just winds up teaching kids improper English. Claflin's concept of "moose speak" isn't bad, but I do think his execution of it is.
Note: I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.
August 3, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
This is a story about a young moose that has a lot of difficulty sleeping - too many other things going on in her little mind. It affects her school work and, despite trying various different things, nothing seems to help. Until she dreams of a very helpful sheep...
I recently read Willy Claflin's "The Bully Goat Grim: A Maynard Moose Tale" and absolutely loved it. The story telling, the illustrations and the feel of the book was great. This one, however, wasn't quite as good. The choice of baby-speak, rather than proper grammar, makes the prose a little hard to read in a fluent way.
While this book may be aimed at young audiences, a lot of the words and concepts may be a little above their ages.
Paul
ARH
This is a story about a young moose that has a lot of difficulty sleeping - too many other things going on in her little mind. It affects her school work and, despite trying various different things, nothing seems to help. Until she dreams of a very helpful sheep...
I recently read Willy Claflin's "The Bully Goat Grim: A Maynard Moose Tale" and absolutely loved it. The story telling, the illustrations and the feel of the book was great. This one, however, wasn't quite as good. The choice of baby-speak, rather than proper grammar, makes the prose a little hard to read in a fluent way.
While this book may be aimed at young audiences, a lot of the words and concepts may be a little above their ages.
Paul
ARH
August 29, 2014
This series can be read in any order.
This is an awesome kids story about the reasons why you should get enough sleep and the consequences of not doing so. It was cute and funny and really taught good lessons in an entertaining way! Definitely easy to enjoy for all ages :)
I would not recommend having your child read this themselves but reading it to them could be really fun! I know I will sure have fun reading this to my kids :) if you have very advanced readers I am sure they would be ablento read it themselves it is just the mooseish language would probably be difficult for an average reader. I can't wait to read more of this hilarious series!
***This series is suitable for readers of all ages but I suggest reading it to average readers under 4th grade as the language can be difficult
This is an awesome kids story about the reasons why you should get enough sleep and the consequences of not doing so. It was cute and funny and really taught good lessons in an entertaining way! Definitely easy to enjoy for all ages :)
I would not recommend having your child read this themselves but reading it to them could be really fun! I know I will sure have fun reading this to my kids :) if you have very advanced readers I am sure they would be ablento read it themselves it is just the mooseish language would probably be difficult for an average reader. I can't wait to read more of this hilarious series!
***This series is suitable for readers of all ages but I suggest reading it to average readers under 4th grade as the language can be difficult
March 6, 2014
The story does impress on kids the importance of a good night’s sleep to be at your best the next day, but I like it because it’s just so funny. The summary doesn’t really do it justice. The book is full of moose-speak but thanks to a glossary in the beginning, we know that skimmering means gliding and skipping over anything shimmering and driftee means to slowly drift, mostly sideways, sometimes upside down. It would be a fun book to read aloud. It’s full of made-up words and the grammar’s not quite right a lot of the time, because it is moose after all.
My whole review is at Carol's Notebook>.
My whole review is at Carol's Notebook>.
January 29, 2014
I loved the plot of this book. It's adorable. Mothermoose is amazing. The fact that she mixes universes AND tea in the same cauldron makes me smile more than I can even tell you. The moose vocabulary in the beginning is also precious. Such a great way to make a story unique. What I don't like is how it is written. To write a narrative for children written with no care for grammar makes no sense. Moose having their own vocabulary is one thing, but speaking like children the entire way through the story isn't okay. Stories are how we teach our children to read and speak and this is not what we want to children to learn. I get that it's spoken in "moose," but why can't moose speak well and have their own odd vocab instead of using "is" when you should be using "are."
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