The Moon Shines Down

Today, I read my children "The moon shines down". My boys are 7 and 2. They were fascinated by it. The illustrations are colorful and fit the story perfectly. They had fun looking for the Koala on every page. There are a variety of animals for kids to look at. Some they had never heard of, and so we went online to look them up. As a mother, I appreciated the diversity of the children, and the different countries that are portrayed in the story. This of course led to a discussion about how God created the entire world. And I was able to show them where the countries are located on the globe. My favorite page was the Nativity Scene. The rhyme is repetitious, allowing children to read along. The book is very durable, allowing it to last for years to come. I believe Margaret Wise Brown, would be proud of the way her unfinished story has been completed. I plan on buying this book for my niece. It was beautiful.

Notes on the book from the inside cover: An incomparable children's book almost lost to the world. As an unpublished, incomplete manuscript based on a New England sampler prayer, "God bless the moon and God bless me", the author's work was found in an old barn in Vermont years after her death. Being too short for a standard size picture book, Laura Minchew, a children's book publisher, was able to match the author's style and complete this wondrous story. Filled with beautiful illustrations by Linda Bleck on glossy pages, this story will enchant children and the people who read it to them many times over. Written in rhyming verse for youngsters around the world, the story tells of near and far away lands and children of different cultures. An adorable little koala bear visits each location. Charming native animals indicative of their respective countries grace every page. From the Zuider Zee to the furthest Orient telling a happy tale of children speaking Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other Asian languages to Mexico complete with pictures of iguanas and cacti. The animals are large and colorful. The moon is big, bright and very yellow. The moon shines down even over the sea complete with bright pictures of fish and turtles. Many more countries are visited replete with pictures of children, whether playing or peacefully sleeping, they are content knowing the moon shines down on all the world. A perfect ending to the book is the little prayer, "I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me. Even as an adult, I found this a delightful story sure to bring smiles to any face. The use of primary colors will greatly appeal to children. I particularly liked the rhyming verse and the lovely message, no matter where in the world you are, God's moon shines down upon us.

The Christmas Edition Years and years ago, when my girl was little...we would take night time walks and as we started back home again, we would look up at the stars and the moon and together would say, "I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon! And God bless me!" I picked this book up because of the same premise and because I am about to be a grandmama for the very first time. I couldnt wait to page through this. We follow the moon around the world and God bless all the living creatures as we go. The illustrations are sweet and colorful. The words are lyrical. This will be a favorite of Kingston and mine. I know it.

Like many in my age demographic, my exposure to children's books was very limited prior to the arrival and subsequent reading patterns of my 18-month-old son. When given the opportunity to read the latest offering from the author who gave us "Goodnight Moon", (which my wife says is a "classic" children's book) I thought I would try it. When the book arrived, I decided to expose it to the toughest critic in our house...the attention span of my son. We let Noah watch very little TV, and read at least half a dozen books to him a day. At 48 pages, classic author or not, this would be a sizeable test for him and the book. The results were overwhelming...the story is essentially that God shines the moon, and blesses children all over the world. Noah was glued from the very first page! Every time I thought we had lost him, he was simply repositioning himself to get a better look at the beautiful illustrations. He commented on every page, yelling out what was familiar to him, and attempting to speak new words. As a parent, I want my son to know the size of God, and his mutual heart for people all over the world. The book did a great job communicating that in word and image. I feel safe in speaking for both myself and Noah...two thumbs up.

Thomas Nelson publishes a forgotten manuscript, and Margaret Wise Brown's public gets a new picture book by this gentle and delightful author 56 years after her death. [...] I received it in the mail today from Thomas Nelson, and read it aloud to myself, and the older children in range stopped what they were doing to listen, too. It's a sweet book, and we loved the bright, vibrant, charming illustrations. It's a wonderful read aloud for approximately preschool and below. Using the refrain "God bless the moon and God bless me," an adorable koala travels the world at bedtime, observing children in different countries. "The moon shines down, and sheds its beams On a house with a stork where a Dutch boy dreams Of tulip fields by quiet streams In his flat Dutch Land of cheese and creams. I see the Moon and the Moon sees me, and the Moon sees the Dutch boy far over the sea. Whe the tulips bloom by the Zuider Zee, O God bless him and God bless me." We visit Switzerland, the far east (in one swoop, Japan, Korean, Chinese, Laotian, and Vietnam; Mexico, France, Zimbabwe, Australia, and the ocean. There's a two page spread about Christmas and the Christ child as well. Since the book is for the youngest children, the children in this book are not suffering from hunger, war, famine or drought, they dance in the rain, sleep under the moon, and smile happily. It's a gentle introduction to geography and the idea that God cares for everybody all over the world. A keeper.