BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL
– OPTIONAL
APPEAL TO: SOME
What kind of moon will rise
tonight? It is always changing, the author explains, waxing when it is visible
in the early evening for a short time in the west, or waning when it peeks over
the horizon near dawn. The full moon, on the other hand, is visible all night
long. The moon is constantly cycling through these phases, but one thing is
certain. You can always see the same phase of the moon at the same time in the
same place in the sky. The author also includes information about the tides,
lunar calendars, and a few additional facts about the moon in an end note.
The author’s use of “you” and
“we” pronouns makes this informative text feel like a conversation you might be
having with a beloved and wise elder while the illustrations offer helpful
diagrams as well as arresting images of the moon in various settings (over a
city skyline, illuminating a carnaval, through tree branches, reflected in water).
The look of the book suggests poetry while the text offers scientific facts
that are not always easy to grasp. That juxtaposition may be jarring and
off-putting for the intended readers (though perhaps highly appealing to
adults). It feels like a student attracted to the illustrations would not be
interested in learning about the moon and a student wanting to learn about the
moon would not think a book that looks like this would have the facts they
want.
Reviewer: P.K. Foster, MLS, elementary
school teacher-librarian
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