A lighthearted introduction to our lunar companion.
Hodgson follows up When Cloud Became a Cloud (2021) with this depiction of Earth’s moon.
Once again, objects are personified and the science is highly simplified but sound. In short, straightforward chapters, the author/illustrator introduces Sun and Earth, describes Moon’s formation, and goes on to cover her orbit, craters, light, and phases as well as how Moon affects Earth’s tides and Moon’s role in solar eclipses. The text alternates between statements and speech-bubble commentary from the three main characters. It’s set on the (usually) black background of cheery, collagelike illustrations that depict, among other things, Earth and Moon changing color as they cool down and Moon’s phases (also shown on the endpapers). Moon has googly eyes and a smiling face with various expressions; she’s friendly and helpful. And Earth is appreciative. The final two chapters discuss moon exploration so far—by rovers and humans—and hint at further visits. To conclude, Moon waves to a brown-skinned young earthling and issues an invitation: “Come visit me someday!” Where human characters appear, they’re diverse. The book covers much the same material as Stacy McAnulty’s similarly simple Moon! Earth’s Best Friend (2019) with much the same level of personification but slightly more challenging text and depth, though it’s still appropriate for preschoolers or very early readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lighthearted introduction to our lunar companion. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9780593523629
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer.
Rotner follows up her celebrations of spring and autumn with this look at all things winter.
Beginning with the signs that winter is coming—bare trees, shorter days, colder temperatures—Rotner eases readers into the season. People light fires and sing songs on the solstice, trees and plants stop growing, and shadows grow long. Ice starts to form on bodies of water and windows. When the snow flies, the fun begins—bundle up and then build forts, make snowballs and snowmen (with eyebrows!), sled, ski (nordic is pictured), skate, snowshoe, snowboard, drink hot chocolate. Animals adapt to the cold as well. “Birds grow more feathers” (there’s nothing about fluffing and air insulation) and mammals, more hair. They have to search for food, and Rotner discusses how many make or find shelter, slow down, hibernate, or go underground or underwater to stay warm. One page talks about celebrating holidays with lights and decorations. The photos show a lit menorah, an outdoor deciduous tree covered in huge Christmas bulbs, a girl next to a Chinese dragon head, a boy with lit luminarias, and some fireworks. The final spread shows signs of the season’s shift to spring. Rotner’s photos, as always, are a big draw. The children are a marvelous mix of cultures and races, and all show their clear delight with winter.
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3976-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Enticing and eco-friendly.
Why and how to make a rain garden.
Having watched through their classroom window as a “rooftop-rushing, gutter-gushing” downpour sloppily flooded their streets and playground, several racially diverse young children follow their tan-skinned teacher outside to lay out a shallow drainage ditch beneath their school’s downspout, which leads to a patch of ground, where they plant flowers (“native ones with tough, thick roots,” Schaub specifies) to absorb the “mucky runoff” and, in time, draw butterflies and other wildlife. The author follows up her lilting rhyme with more detailed explanations of a rain garden’s function and construction, including a chart to help determine how deep to make the rain garden and a properly cautionary note about locating a site’s buried utility lines before starting to dig; she concludes with a set of leads to online information sources. Gómez goes more for visual appeal than realism. In her scenes, a group of smiling, round-headed, very small children in rain gear industriously lay large stones along a winding border with little apparent effort; nevertheless, her images of the little ones planting generic flowers that are tall and lush just a page turn later do make the outdoorsy project look like fun.
Enticing and eco-friendly. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 12, 2024
ISBN: 9781324052357
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
