My Mommy Hung the Moon

by Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Cornell (Illustrator)

My mommy hung the moon.
She tied it with string.
My mommy's good at EVERYTHING.

The ninth children's book by the #1 New York Times bestselling team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell is a celebration of unconditional love between mother and child. Mommy is the best at everything: Not only does she carpool, untangle kites, steal bases, and bake cookies, she also seems to light up the sun with her love. Written straight from the heart and illustrated with tender hilarity, My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story is a keepsake that defines the magical relationship a mother has with her son or daughter. So grab the little one you love, and rejoice as the ordinary moments of everyday life become extraordinary because of the magic of mother love.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Love, Pre K, Poetry

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Jamie Lee Curtis is a two-time Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning, and Emmy-nominated American film actress and an author of children's books. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in many horror films early in her career such as Halloween (1978 film), The Fog, Prom Night (1980 film) and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that covers many genres. She has received an Emmy Award nomination and two Golden Globe Awards. Her 1998 book, Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day, made the best-seller list in The New York Times. She is married to actor Christopher Guest (Lord Haden-Guest) and, as the wife of a Lord, is titled Lady Haden-Guest, but she chooses not to use the title when in the United States.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like JLC's books (and I rarely say that about "celebrity authors"). This one is cute enough. Puts some big pressure on a mom. Rhymes didn't feel super forced. Just ... a bit excessive.

Not as fond of the illustrations. But that's more personal preference than saying they were not well done.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a little boy that believes his Mommy can (and does) do everything. Mommy's are awesome! A cute book about the bond between a mother and child.

[Suebee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. I cannot wait to return this to the library. I have enjoyed some of Curtis's other titles, including "When I feel silly," but this one is the most mom-guilt inducing book ever.

It is written from a child's point of view, a child who idealizes his/her mommy. "My mommy is nice. She is never mean..." (talk about impossible standards! not a real mommy! Kids don't get this nuance!) "My mommy's good at everything." Ummmmm...no!

Also some of the text is confusing. "My mommy's the best. She drives in the pool."
Hmm....the car pool? Not explained.

Ugh...not cute at all.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book well enough. I would not use it for storytime as I think it's a bit much for preschool littles. The rhymes are cute but some of the story is just going to go over a childs' head. For exampe: "...she dotted com. She e'd the email, my own CD MOM." Kids aren't going to get that. It doesn't really make sense to me, either.

And I totally get why other reviewers are saying that it lays on the Mom guilt.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

way too much. my 7 year old daughter said it was boring. as i read it to her i thought it made the rest of us normal mommies look bad because i don't do everything like create the world, ships, stars, storms, etc.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curtis, Jamie Lee & Laura Cornell. My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story. Joanna Cotler Books (Harper Collins Publishers), 2010. $16.99. PICTURE BOOK.

A tribute to the modern-multifaceted- mother who performs traditional roles as well as being technologically savvy: “She webbed all the world, she dotted .com./ She e’d the email, my own CD MOM.”

The casual black ink illustrations infused with color gives this book a whimsical feel. Sure to appeal to children and their mothers.

Pre-K, EL – ADVISABLE. Samantha, Public Librarian.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2011...

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to see that on Amazon My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story is aimed at "Grade Level: Preschool - 3". I would have thought it more for 3 year old and younger children than a third grader because when you are 3, your Mommy is everything, knows everything and does everything.

That said My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story truly is a love story, sweetly done.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I signed up to be a Mystery Reader for a second grade class - we read this book yesterday and the kids loved it. We used it to create a discussion about what they thought was important in their lives - interestingly, several of them would pack their cell phones and lap tops!!
When finished, I gave the book to the teacher for her collection.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of Curtis's books can get a little wordy, but they are all on a child's level. This book is more direct in verbage, and heavy on illustrations (busy!). The little person in the book thinks that Mommy can, and does, do everything. Sweet little story.

[Beckie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about how a child feels about his mom and how wonderful she is.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A preschool and up book about the love a child and mother share which results in the child thinking the mother can do anything.

[Kennedy Baydo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about all the things a little boys mommy can do. It is a colorful rhyming book that shows the bond and the love from son to mother. Such a sweet book!

[Kaylee]

I had no idea that Jamie Lee Curtis wrote children's books. This book is a cute story about one child's love for their mother and all the amazing things she can do.

[Cindy Bylund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Jamie Lee Curtis illustrated by Laura Cornell.

[The Transmuted Tree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Red 2nd

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moms are everything!

[Renée Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still remember reading this often with my son when he was little. It hit different back then as a single mom. Moms really do hang the moon.

[SteFF · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if Jamie Lee Curtis isn't amazing enough, here comes the funny quirky children's books to love!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've read this book several times, but tonight was very special. My son read it to his little sister. Here's how the conversation went after the story was finished. (N is my son. M is my daughter.)
M: Mom, I know you didn't really do all those things, but I love you anyway.
N: I know. It's cool. Mama does so much. It's like she really did make everything in the world, but I know it's really Mother Nature.
M: Nu uh. It was God.
N: Oh, yeah. Is Mother Nature like his helper?
M: Ask Mommy. She knows everything.
N: No, we just talked about that, but we love her anyway.
M: Oh, yeah.

I love my kids so much. Truly, this is a great book to read with little ones. The rhyming makes it easy for them to predict what is going to be said next, and in our house, it promotes great discussions! :)

[Erin Brockway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a little boy who loves his mother so much that he believes she can do anything, such as making rainbows, growing all the food, to making every kind of ball and music. The illustrations in the book help to show everything that this little boy believes his mother can do. The most powerful part of the text is when the little boy says, "I dream about how she gave me my start. I love my mommy with all of my heart." This is powerful because it really shows how much younger children admire their mothers, love them and need them in their lives. I would recommend this book to others because it is a good way to show how much children really love their mothers. I would use this book in my classroom with younger children before mothers day to help get them thinking about what they love about their moms.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - I usually stay away from books written by celebrities unless they're memoirs/bios or I want to read it in the same way one looks at a car accident. If I remember correctly I picked up Curtis' first book by accident, thinking it looked cute and not knowing it was written by her.
So far we've read a few and have liked each one. This is a fun, rhyming book and I have to agree with some other reviewers who said the rhymes feel a bit "forced". Just not the easiest to read I think.
I found the illustrations to be fine, the story itself is fine, great for just about any kid because after all, who doesn't think the world of their Mom?

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jamie Lee Curtis, My Mommy Hung the Moon (Joanna Cotler Books, 2010)

I wasn't terribly fond of this one, and while we had it out of the library for a three-week span, the Bean never actually asked for it the way he does with the books he really enjoys, and he is obsessed with all things moon. The rhyme is thudding, the language is simplistic (I know that seems an odd thing to complain about in a pre-lit book, but contrast it to, say, Victoria Adler's books and you can easily see the difference). Nothing about it distinguishes it from a hundred other pre-lit books we've been through and sent back to the library with no intention of ever getting them out again. **

[Lenae Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a child and the view of their Mom through their eyes. This child adores their mother and thinks she is spectacular. The child tells how their Mom does everything even hanging the moon.

I thought this book was super cute! The illustrations are very colorful. I think kids would love this because most kids think highly of their moms and love them very much.

This book could be used to read to preschool children. It is a lower level book and easy to understand. Preschoolers especially depend on their moms for almost everything so I think they could relate to this book easily.

[Hannah Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mommy's can do everything! This little boy tells the world of all the things his mommy does for him and how cool she is. He loves his mommy and is amazed at all the magical things she knows how to do.

This is a really sweet book. It reminds me of my relationship with my mom. I sill think she can fix any problem I have or help me with any situation!

This would be a great book for mother's day but special attention needs to paid to kids who do not have a mom or who have a bad relationship with their mother. I do not think I would read it to an entire class but I might suggest children read it for themselves when Mother's Day comes around.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is specifically about mothers so I would be sensitive to if you have students who do not have a mother or a have mother present. You could use this book to talk about heroes in children's lives or the person they look up to or who takes care of this. This would be a great book to modeling a writing piece after if children wanted to. It has kind of a return home thing going on at the end so this could also be an example of that.

[Jinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My mommy hung the moon.
She tied it with string.
My mommy's good at EVERYTHING."

I like the plot but the delivery was shaky. The rhymes were a bit of a stretch and the illustrations was bland and cluttered. But again, I do like and agree that mommies are good at EVERYTHING ... daddies too, I'd like to add.

***Find this review and more at Jinky is Reading

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! My Mommy Hung the Moon really is a love story between the author and their mom. Describes all the different ways she loves her mommy, and truly is an endearing book to read to a class to pass the time, or to read for Mother's Day. Includes rhyming, very colorful and imaginative illustrations.

"She buzzed every bee.
She spun every spider.
She growled every bear.
She striped every tiger."

<333

[Nathan Willard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really dig this book, but it gets 4 stars because my four year-old loved it. I specifically didn't like the strained rhythm and rhymes, which made it sort of hard to read. I also didn't like the reference to a screwdriver as an ear probe for large aliens. While, sure, whatever, I felt compelled to point out that this is a silly and bad whenever I read it. But, as I said, the girl loved it.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's new and I did see Jamie Lee Curtis plugging this on the Today Show, so I picked it up. It's not bad, a little busy on many of the pages and the rhyming isn't quite right to read-aloud, but I enjoyed the concept. It reminded me of a few of the "daddy" books that I've picked up over the last few months. Kid idolization.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish my kids still thought this way!

This book is from the point of view of a young one who says that his mom "Hung the moon" and many more things. Watch the illustrations carefully for the way that the mom gets everything done. A very sweet, funny book. It left me smiling for quite a while after reading it.