The Moon in the Cloud facts for kids
Cover of first edition
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| Author | Rosemary Harris |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Egyptian trilogy |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel, historical fantasy |
| Publisher | Faber and Faber |
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Publication date
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1968 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 176 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0571086705 |
| OCLC | 41022 |
| 823/.9/14 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.H2437 Mo |
| Followed by | The Shadow on the Sun |
The Moon in the Cloud is a light-hearted children's historical fantasy novel by Rosemary Harris, published by Faber in 1968. It is set in ancient Canaan and Egypt at the time of the Biblical Flood and rooted in the story of Noah's Ark. It is the first book of a series sometimes called the Egyptian trilogy, followed by The Shadow on the Sun (1970) and The Bright and Morning Star (1972).
Harris won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.
Macmillan published the first US edition in 1969.
The Moon in the Cloud was adapted for television in 1978.
Plot summary
When the Lord God decides to send a flood, he instructs Noah to build an Ark and save his family and the animals. Noah gives his reprobate son Ham the responsibility of collecting two cats from Kemi, the Black Land (Egypt), and two lions, but Ham passes the task to his neighbour Reuben by promising to persuade Noah to let Reuben and his wife on the Ark.
Reuben travels to Kemi with his camel Anak, his cat Cefalu and his dog Benoni. In the desert they are captured by the High Priest of Sekhmet, who is impressed by Cefalu's sacred heritage. He houses the cat in the Temple of Sekhmet in Kemi's capital Men-nofer, where Cefalu falls in love with the resident temple cat Meluseth. Reuben is presented as a slave to the music-loving King, who becomes his friend. However, he despairs of returning home until a 'supernatural' display arranged by the High Priest of Ptah backfires. Panic and rioting in the streets give Reuben a chance to escape and rescue his animals. Meluseth joins them.
On the way back, Cefalu persuades the lion Aryeh to come to the Ark. They meet Thamar, who has camped in the desert to escape the attentions of Ham and has meanwhile rescued a lost lion cub. They return home with the two cats and the two lions only to encounter treachery from Ham. However, a providential accident secures them a place of safety just as the rain begins to fall.
Characters
- The Lord God
- The Canaanites
- Reuben, a young animal-tamer, artist and musician, kind and brave
- Thamar, his beautiful and devoted wife
- Noah, a visionary patriarch
- Noah's patient wife
- Ham, Noah's wayward son, lazy, cruel, cowardly and deceitful
- Japheth and Shem, Noah's dutiful sons, sceptical but obedient
- Noah's daughters-in-law
- The Egyptians
- The High Priest of Sekhmet, ruthless and avaricious
- Kenamut, the High Priest's shrewd interpreter
- Ani, the High Priest's chief guard, & his family
- The King, also known as Horus, the Son of Re, a good-hearted young man, beset by advisers
- Senusmet, the King's Vizier, domineering and astute
- Tahlevi, a kindly tomb robber
- The High Priest of Ptah, ambitious and unscrupulous
- The animals
- Anak, Reuben's sarcastic dromedary, and his mate
- Cefalu, Reuben's wilful black cat
- Benoni, Reuben's amiable herd dog
- Mouse, an elephant, and her mate
- Meluseth, a beautiful white temple cat with delusions of grandeur
- Aryeh, a formidable lion
- A very young lion cub
Awards
Beside winning the 1968 Carnegie Medal for British children's books, The Moon in the Cloud was named a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book by the editors of the Horn Book Magazine in 1971.
Television adaptation
The novel was adapted for the children's television series Jackanory in 1978, with Ian McKellen as the reader.
