TITLE: ON THE MOON
AUTHOR: Anna Milbourne
ILLUSTRATOR: Benji Davies
PUBLICATION INFO: Usbourne, 2006
ISBN: 978-0794506179
SOURCE: Personal library
INTENDED AUDIENCE: 4 and up (Publisher), but I think children as young as 2 would enjoy this.
GENRE: picture book (fiction)
OPENING and SYNOPSIS: “The Moon is very, very far away. What do you think it would be like to go there?” A young girl takes a trip to the Moon in this fantastic journey.
THEMES/TOPICS: space exploration, moon, astronauts, solar system
WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: Although this book is fiction, the author intersperses lots of facts into the narrative. For example, telling children how long it would take to reach the Moon and sharing about the atmosphere (no air here!). I also appreciate that this book is appropriate for the youngest readers. Even a toddler who can recognize the Moon in the sky would enjoy this simple tale.
RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:
- NASA’s Space Solar Exploration Kids site is a treasure trove or resources.
- Kids can ask a lunar scientist questions….here.
- Teachers Pay Teachers has several resources, and some are FREE!
- Here is a Mensa first-grade lesson plan.
- Smithsonian has an awesome collection of primary resources in its IdeaLab.
- Here’s a delicious activity: Oreo Moon phases.
Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at authorSusanna Leonard Hill’s site.
Kirsten W. Larson 
Oh it’s great that a book so informative is equally good for the young ones. I’m going to look out for this, thanks!
Sounds like a fun, informative book. Perfect for pre-schoolers. This would have been perfect in my kid’s Pre-K class, they were learning about space last month.
It reminds me a lot of Faith McNulty’s IF YOU DECIDE TO GO TO THE MOON, but for a younger audience. Preschool would be perfect.
Another great pick. I like that it is fiction, leaving room for imagination as well as information. Kids are fascinated by the moon and are so open to learning. The oreo cookie activity is great.
The oreo cookie sounded delicious to me. I couldn’t think of a better way to teach about the phases of the moon. Crunch!
I placed this one on hold before I scrolled past the title on your post! Looks terrific!
It’s lots of fun. The illustrations have a cartoon-like quality, which makes it fun.
You are the queen of outer space picture book knowledge. My kids would love that Oreo/Moon phase activity, but first their post-Halloween sugar levels need to get back to normal.
I think we own almost every space picture book. As for sugar levels…we have two birthdays within a couple of weeks of Halloween. Every year it’s sugar upon more sugar! Yikes.
I like the fact it is appropriate for very young kids as I think their interest in the moon begins as toddlers!
Actually, I thought of this book when my friend’s just-turned-three-year-old exhibited a fascination with the moon. I love this book.
I visited in a science class one day when they did your oreo moon phases lesson. The kids had a whole lot of fun with that — lots of laughter. And I had a good time cleaning up crumbs! Nice to see a picture book about the moon.
I have some leftover Halloween Oreos. I know what I should do with them on a cold afternoon.
I hope that you have a lucky dog to help clean up the crumbs!
I wish. We lost our dog last year. I never realized just how many crumbs he ate from under our kitchen table.
That sounds like such a great book — and the oreo activity is “delicious!” That could also be paired with the poem “The Moon’s the North Wind’s Cookie” which long ago likened the phases of the moon with a cookie being eaten.
I will never forget how thrilling it was to hear Neil Armstrong’s words as he stepped onto the moon’s surface, the first time they were uttered. They have been replayed so many times that they’re part of the international consciousness, even for those of you who weren’t born yet, but to have heard them the very first time was amazing. It would be great if one were sharing this book with a class to have someone who remembers that day come and share what it was like with the kids.
My husband remembers that day, and he was five. It started him on his career path, which ultimately led him to NASA. It’s amazing what an impact these experiences can have, even for the the very young.
What a cool book! Kids especially boys will love this. Like Beth, I remember very well when Armstrong stepped onto the moon. Loved the cover pic…a fun way to talk about history making, to. Thanks Kirsten.
We let Cooper stay up to watch the Curiosity Mars Rover land on Mars. We are hoping he will remember it as you all remember Neil Armstrong.
This looks great for preschoolers. Have you read Moonshot (I’m sure you have). We really enjoyed that one.
MOONSHOT is a favorite around here. Brian Floca’s prose is so lyrical.
My kids are getting very interested in the moon. I’ll have to look this one up!
This is a very good one to start with. For older readers I love MOONSHOT and IF YOU DECIDE TO GO TO THE MOON.
Sounds like a fun one, Kirsten! I love fiction that incorporates facts so you learn without realizing it 🙂 Thanks for adding another great book to our list 🙂
🙂 I still haven’t made it through last week’s list to see everyone else’s input.
Don’t feel badly, Kirsten…I missed commenting the week before…time just slips away. 🙂
I love this book…thanks for the great review and the AMAZING resource and activity list!
Kirsten, this sounds positively fun and I’m with you on the Oreo activity. But I think we should throw in the whole galaxy, you know, add a few milky ways and mars bars….
I think I have just the candy stash for that expanded activity.
Sounds very interesting. Kids love a mix of fiction with facts!