Saturday, January 20, 2018

Imagine the Moon by Gerald Fierst

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K - Gr.5 Ink and watercolor illustrations and a lyrical text invite readers to think about the moon in new ways. A smiling man in the moon looks out in welcome on the cover, glowing white moon flowers adorn the endpapers, and the turn of each page offers a new view of the orb shining down on spring peepers or lighting the way for Greek goddesses such as Artemis. This book functions on multiple levels: the main text and illustrations are accessible very accessible to younger readers, while the more factual sidebars share details about the formation of the moon, how it inspires artists, and signs of the changing seasons. Agriculture, wildlife, mythology, and astronauts all make their way into the explanations of how the full moon from each month of the year earned its name and other lunar facts. With its rhyming text, this title would be a good read-aloud or bedtime story, yet would also fit into a unit on the moon or outer space and might even lure those who don’t usually choose to read about science topics. VERDICT: A well done picture book that captures the allure of the moon for all ages, while also providing upper elementary students with solid material.

My review of this book was originally published in the June 2017 issue of School Library Journal, p. 120.

Fierst, Gerald. Imagine the Moon: A Primer of Full Moon Names. illus. by Leslie Stall Widener. 32p. Plum Street. May 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781945268021

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