Catching the Moon, by Myla Goldberg {2007}

So far in this series we've covered a lot of classics- old books that you are familiar with, and if you haven't read them you've at least heard of them. Today I'm going out on a limb and sharing a newer {but high quality!} book that you probably haven't heard of, that would be great to read with your babes.

We found Catching the Moon on the shelves of our local library when S was going through her moon obsession phase. Any book about the moon was a hit, but this particular book delighted me equally with its clever pictures {illustrated by Chris Sheban}, even clever-er story line, and all of the tea drinking. Because seriously people, tea drinking is the stuff of life, and any friendship formed over a cup of tea is worth reading about ;). 

Plot. People think the old fisher woman is off her rocker when she starts fishing at night with a mouse for bait. What they don't know is that she isn't out to catch a fish- she has her eye on a much bigger target. Meanwhile, a luminescent stranger begins showing up at her door once a month for tea and chatter. You'll be intrigued and amused by all of the interesting twists and turns!

This is my favorite picture in the book... I just love it <3. Swoon!

Thematic Elements. While most of the other fishermen just think the old woman is crazy, the Moon is actually concerned and seeks to help her. Kindness, empathy, and being helpful and caring are all elements you could highlight in discussions with your preschooler.

Educational Opportunities. Teach your child the phases of the moon {science}. This book especially highlights the one night a month that the moon isn't seen in the sky, so it is a great starting point for talking about the New Moon. Talk about the "man on the moon" and point it out to your child. Explain how the moon controls the tides. All of these concepts play key roles in the text!

The language in this is simply gorgeous, with expressions such as "starlight freckles," and "sea-addled;" and "tittered," "shrieked," and "guffawed" to describe a fit of laughter. It will definitely grow your child's vocabulary and feed their imaginations to stuffing point! Sublime.

Activities.

• Taste test the different kinds of teas mentioned in the book {green, black, and yellow} to expand your child's palate.
• Eat moon pies together as you drink your tea {you can make your own with this recipe}. 
• Make this super fun puffy paint moon at No Time for Flashcards using shaving cream and glue!
• Learn the phases of the moon with Oreos. Delish!
• Make your own fishing pole with a stick and string, and tie a toy mouse on the other end to reenact the book. 
• And if you are really talented, or feeling inspired, you could try to take a picture like this of your child "catching" the moon.

Be sure to also check out... While we are on the topic of the moon, I shared several other moon-themed titles on my Goodnight Moon post that are worth the read! Click on over there for the list. And one book that I failed to mention in that post, but is equally delightful, is The Moon Might be Milk. 

Looking for more great books to read with your preschooler? Check out the rest of this 31 Days series here!

Some of the links above are affiliate links- which means that if you make a purchase through them, I receive a small profit at no extra charge to you. But you should know that I am an avid believer in reading for free through both local and church libraries ;). Thanks for supporting The Purposeful Wife!