My Little Half-Moon

by Douglas Todd Jennerich, Kate Berube (Illustrations)

A determined child goes the extra mile to try to cheer the lonely half moon
Have you ever looked up at the half-moon hiding in the night sky and thought it looked just the littlest bit lonely without its other half?
Imagine . . .
having no one to glow with
no one to play with
no one to share
how much you like puppies and big, fuzzy bears.
If you're like this determined young child, you might stay up every night to keep the moon company. Maybe if you share your treats and toys and stories, you'll cheer him up.
But the moon is very shy, so it might take some time. Still, if you're very very patient, you just might make a new friend.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2017

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely adore this book.

In order for a picture book to be really perfect, it needs to be special both in text and illustration. There are thousands of books that are one or the other, but it's far rarer for a book to have both. Enter My Little Half-Moon.

Douglas Todd Jennerich has written a sweet, funny story with a Shel Silverstein-esque cadence that makes it the perfect book to read at bedtime over and over (and over and over) without ever getting sick of it. And the illustrations are stunning, as anyone who's been following Kate Berube has come to expect. Bold lines, rich colors, quirky details -- all perfect. This is a total keeper.

Buy it from Powell's!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a sucker for moon lore it is no surprise that I'm enraptured by the story. It's a good one.

However, I must say the illustrations are what sends me over the moon about this one. Truly. Kate Berube, would you mind if I tattooed the Pagan pickle scene on my sleeve?

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations in the deep colors of night illuminate the story of a child who tries to coax the moon to fully appear in the night sky. The child wants the moon to be less lonely, so they bring all sorts of favorite things to show it. In rhyming text, the child wonders and watches for "what seemed like a year." The loveliest page opening shows the sky lit up with a splatter of stars in an iridescent night. Of course, the moon does eventually become full, and so the child is happy, as the moon has "stopped its hiding to come out to play."

However, the rhyming text is awkward and serves only to complete rhymes. The story is inconsequential. The illustrations, however, makes the book worth picking up. I look forward to Kate Berube's next appearance in picture books.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO SWEET.  Just about every child (that I knew) absolutely loved the moon.  And I can definitely attest to the fact that I definitely had a "moon phase" (no pun intended) where I tracked the moon for a couple months.  So this book really brought me back to that headspace, to the space where you'll do all you can to help nature do what it's supposed to do.  It was just so lovely and wonderful, and I'm glad to have read this.  

Review cross-listed here!

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could be used as an introduction to a study of the phases of the moon, but learners will realize that the moon does not jump from crescent to full overnight. In spite of this, readers will identify with the bargaining efforts we do to try to get what we want!
Rhyming text is a bit of a stretch in some places ( balk does rhyme with chalk but the meaning is off), but for the most part works well.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accompanied with adorable illustrations, the rhyming scheme makes it a delight to read. Younger children will love all the different ways the little boy tries to cheer up the moon. They will enjoy the pure kindness and tenderness in the book. Children are the best teachers of love and that is reflected so well in this book. We would definitely recommend getting a copy of this sweet story.

FULL REVIEW https://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. We've already read it several times and we just got it. It is poetic and beautiful, fun and whimsical, and perfect for both kids and their parents to enjoy. The artwork is beautiful, as well as the story. We love it.

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young child is fascinated and perplexed by what he perceives to be an incomplete half-moon.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. My great granddaughter enjoyed the book very much. I won this in the Goodreads giveaway but this is an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn. Because it is beautiful, beautiful artwork. But the text itself? I didn't really like it. Like this review. It's honest but I don't enjoy reading it.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see teachers using this if 1st grade still teaches the moon unit. Illustrations are nice.

[Laurel Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!

[Michelle Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the rhymes were quite a stretch. I think it would have been better as a regular, non-rhyming story.

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right off the bat, I gotta say I'm not a fan of rhyming picture book text. It doesn't take a lot for it to all go wrong.

I did like the illustrations, though. It's always cool to see what else the pictures add to main story.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The text is worth four stars but the illustrations are worth six.

[Nyla Arieka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustration is so cute!!! And I love how everything rhymes! A lovely bedtime story for kids:)

[Debbie Tanner]

This might be a really good one to start a conversation about the cycles of the moon.