Hello, Moon

Loose lines and expressive faces convey the closeness between the child and caregiver. . . striking angles and perspectives keep each spread vibrant and eye-catching. This one pairs well with Jane Yolen's Owl Moon (1987), illustrated by John Schoenherr, with a unique art style perfect for bedtime and library storytime alike, with age-appropriate STEM opportunities as well. Learning, empathy, and wonder in an ever shifting luminous landscape.

It’s a wondrous introduction to moon phases and the pleasures of sky gazing, and the exquisite illustrations are luminous and expansive.

There is no attempt at a scientific explanation for what happens, just a conversation between adult and child that gently personifies the moon without quite anthropomorphizing it.

Though the title may nod to classic bedtime fare, Turk (Color the Sky) is up to something different in this volume, highlighting a family who greets the moon nightly, and out of doors, as it undergoes change. A child in a warm, cozy room points at the full moon out a window. It hangs in a wintry, pitch-black sky, its cool, pale blue light contouring the faces of the human duo, who share golden skin and dark curly hair. "Look! The Moon!" says the child. "Should we go say hello?" The parent wraps a scarf around the child's neck, and they address the orb: "You look so beautiful tonight!" Panels show days passing, and a change: the bottom edge of the sphere is shadowed. "It's just hiding its face a little," explains the parent; "Should we go out and say hello?" Over the nights, the moon is whittled away until the dark of the New Moon reveals new wonders. Turk interweaves three elements with skill and care: a slow, thoughtful examination of a commonplace yet miraculous phenomenon; rich language in which to discuss it; and color and texture that capture the infinite reaches of the night sky and the bond shared by a close-knit adult and child. Ages 4-8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. (Sept.)

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