What the Sun Sees/ What the Moon Sees

by Nancy Tafuri

This lovely story for children written by Nancy Tafuri contrasts the world as viewed in sunlight with the quiet night world in moonlight. Illustrated, 32 pages.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Animals, 1st Grade, School, Space

Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Nancy Tafuri is probably best known as the creator of Have You Seen My Duckling?, a 1985 Caldecott Honor Book described by Parent’s Choice as “beautifully precise yet emotionally affecting.” Trained as a graphic designer, Tafuri has authored more than 45 books over 30 years for the very young.

When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.

Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.

Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.

Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.

The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.

At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.

When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.

“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”

Reviews

[Lisa Whiteford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees by author Nancy Tafuri is a children’s book intended for ages six to twelve years old. I read this book on my kindle app. This book is a great little book that shows day and night just by flipping the book over. I really enjoyed the beautiful imagery in the illustrations of this book that allows children on one side to see beautiful illustrations during the day of farms, busy towns and daylight skies. When you turn the book over you get to see views during dark time of stars, night time animals and families sleeping. Children love day and night and I feel this would be a great bedtime story to share. I plan to add it to my library of books for my children in my preschool age. I rate this book 5 stars.

[Sydney Fritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees, was such a cute book. I read this book to some Kindergarteners and they loved it! They thought it was so cool how at the middle of the book, you have to turn it upside down. They had me read it 3 or 4 times just because they liked it that much. They both said their favorite part was when the moon saw the bight starts. I highly recommend this book for young readers.

[Sally Staples · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kindergarteners loved this book. We were talking about the moon and the sun and what you see at night and what you might see during the day. This book led into a great writing lesson. I wrote about how and what you might see in our classroom during the day and then how it looks at night.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is big. It's got a sentence per two pages and works well for storytime sessions. the kids loved this book. I even had parents surprised by the pictures and they pointed out details to their children.

[Ebono1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

good naptime story. I like that it talks about everything on earth and doesn't focus on one specific situation or animal to focus on.

[Mikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely double feature that explores what is happening during the day versus what is happening at night.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read at family story time on 4/25/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at Toddler Lap Time on 10/25/12 and 10/26/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for ECE level readers who are learning about daytime and nighttime. It is very simple, but focuses on opposites. The text is large and the pictures are easy to see. Good for reading aloud.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This two books in one picture book features all the things outdoor and beyond that the sun touches during the day and then the book flips and shows all the things the moon sees at night. Simple and fast paced. Any age group.

[MissInformation · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book of the world during the day, and aat night. Super simple text. Book flips over between night and day. Suitable for Story Time.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both my kids enjoyed this. Probably more at Elise's level than Frank.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable book with little text contasts day and night with large, bright illustrations. Good for 2s.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tafuri's simple, one sentence per page stories with sweet illustrations make her a great go to for laptime

[Mary Trujillo]

Que ve el sol/ que ve la luna

[Michelle Farella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for Mother Goose on the Loose but I think it would work better for a PS ST.

[Lauren White · Rating 3 out of 5]

good for prek-k

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contrasts the world as viewed in sunlight with the quiet night world in moonlight.

[Mary Cravens]

Good big colorful pictures, Simple sentences

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

The large, colorful, simple illustrations are attractive as is the opportunity for kids to compare and contrast similar locations in the nighttime and the daytime.

[Mama Bibliosoph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cycle of day and night is on display in this exquisite two-sided book by famed illustrator Nancy Tafuri. Begin with What the Sun Sees and midway through the book the sun begins to set ("And the sun watches until the moon comes up."). A note instructs us "Now turn the book around," and, this time starting with the back cover, we read What the Moon Sees until we reach the twin ending.

You'll quickly realize that turning the book around and around mirrors the rising and setting of the sun and moon, providing a lovely tactile way to understand the motions of these bodies from our perspective. My son Luke loves to say, "It's daytime" and "It's nighttime" as we flip the book.

The type is very large and the sentences are quite simple, making this a wonderful book for print awareness or for a group read aloud. There is a beautiful symmetry to the book, too. The sun sees "blue skies," "sleeping owls," "crowded barnyards," "bustling streets," "noisy playgrounds," "rolling meadows," and "busy children." The moon sees "bright stars," "quiet barnyards," "hooting owls," "empty streets," "silent playgrounds," and "sleeping children."

What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees is a captivating, inventive book that briskly and easily communicates an important early science concept.

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I review children's books from the perspective of a parent of two kids with autism. This review is part of a list of 20 recommended picture books with space themes for autistic kids, which can be found on my blog: https://www.lineupthebooks.com/20-pic...

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Nancy Tafuri books when my daughter was a baby and fell in love with them. This one is another beautiful title presented in two parts, the first part are vivid illustrations of what the sun sees and the second part is what the moon sees. Great jumping off title to begin talking about the concept of night and day and the cause of day and night. This title does not do that discussion, but the books does lend itself to the discussion.
Beautiful illustrations.🌞. Copyrighted 1997

[Melissa the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book concept and simple text/illustrations.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I liked how you flip the book over to read about the contrasting perspective (sun vs. moon).

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do none of my libraries have a copy of this? It would be wonderful in hardcover, and it's not that old. Thank goodness for the archived copy on openlibrary.org; it's very good there, too.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

okay. kids like books that read "weird"

[Christine Turner]

Contrasts the world as viewed in sunlight with the quiet night world in moonlight.

Subject: Day -- Juvenile fiction.
Night -- Juvenile fiction
Sun -- Juvenile fiction.
Moon -- Juvenile fiction.

[Paige Brown]

What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees is such a unique book to illustrate and talk about the differences between day and night. This book is appropriate for ages 4 and up in my opinion. The pictures are easy to follow and go along with the very minimal text. Although the text is minimal, it leaves room for the children to use their imagination and be creative. Also, not many children have the opportunity to travel.This book introduces different settings like city streets, farms, mountains and more. It is book that can have endless conversations.