Both my kids love the moon. I also love discovering new books to share with my two little readers. When recently offered the chance to review a copy of The Moon Inside written by Sandra V. Feder and illustrated by Aimée Sicuro in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add another book to my home library. The 32-page hardback book currently costs $17.23 on Amazon.
Author and Illustrator
Currently residing near the San Francisco Bay, Sandra V. Feder is the author of the popular Daisy series of early chapter books. She has always found comfort in the sights and sounds of nature, and The Moon Inside is her first picture book.
Aimée Sicuro is an award-winning illustrator who recently publish her first picture book, Bright Sky, Starry City written my Uma Krishnaswami. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and young son, who is currently afraid of the dark and ducks eating his toes at night.
Synopsis
Ella loves the bright, sunny daytime and the color yellow. Every night as darkness arrives, she becomes afraid. Taking her mother’s hand, she turns on every light in the house. One night, her mother encourages her to look at the soft glow of the moon and fireflies dancing in the night. Ella gradually realizes that nighttime can be something to look forward to rather than something to fear. The sweet illustrated story inspires parents and children to welcome the peaceful nature of nighttime into their homes and hearts.
Evaluation
“Every night, when the dark entered the house, traveling slowly down the walls and over the floors, Ella grew afraid,” begins the book. Recommended for young readers between the ages of 2 and 5 years old, The Moon Inside is the perfect nighttime story to add to a bedtime reading routine. My kindergartener daughter, who is almost 5 but has been reading for almost nine months now, can easily read the text on her own. The story is very simple but offers a powerful message about not fearing the night. My toddler son also loves listening to me read the book aloud to him and his big sister. The book is also a perfect addition to a bedtime story routine.
In addition to the beautiful story, I also love the gorgeous illustrations in The Moon Inside. The color palate is mostly black, white, and yellow, which helps reflect the day and night in the story. My favorite illustrations are of the nighttime. I love the page with Ella and her mom sitting on the front pouch of their house looking at the night sky and the moon. I also love the page with the night animals including an owl. Both my kids also enjoy looking at the pictures in the book. My son especially enjoys pointing out familiar animals. Overall, I am quite impressed with The Moon Inside and recommend the book as part of any bedtime routine.
Final Verdict
If your little one is afraid of the dark, definitely check out The Moon Inside written by Sandra V. Feder and illustrated by Aimée Sicuro. The book follows Ella, a little girl who loves the color yellow and fears when the night creeps into her home in the evenings. Recommended for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old, the book the perfect nighttime story to add to a bedtime reading routine. My kindergartener can read the book on her own with ease, and my toddler loves hearing me read the story aloud. I also love the beautiful illustrations that bring the story to life through a black, white, and yellow palate. I am quite impressed with The Moon Inside and highly recommend the book as a great addition to any bedtime routine.
Purchase The Moon Inside on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘The Moon Inside’ Book Review © 2016 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘The Moon Inside’ © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘The Moon Inside’ 1 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘The Moon Inside’ 2 © 2016 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘The Moon Inside’ 3 © 2016 Heather Johnson
