June Moon - The Perfect Picture Friday #PPBF

As long as I can remember, I've loved stargazing and watching the moon's changes, especially when unique lighting or clouds play across it. Each night is so different. I can, and have, watched the night sky for hours -especially on camping trips. I get to offer you all a sneak peek at this fun board book which offers a wonderfully whimsical end of day moment between a child and the moon. (Releasing in four days - May 28th!)

June Moon

Author: Lynn Becker

Illustrator: Nate Carvalho

Publisher: Familius Publishing (2024)

Ages: Baby - 3

Fiction

Themes:

Moon, bedtime, imagination, rhyming, and whimsy.

Synopsis:

Author Lynn Becker and illustrator Nate Carvalho’s board book June Moon is a whimsical bedtime story that sparks imagination and laughter as the moon mirrors a child’s playful actions, becoming a cherished favorite for young readers year-round and a perfect bonding experience for parents and children before sleep.

A story of seasides and summertimes, in June Moon, the rising and setting of the moon mirrors a child’s imaginative play and bedtime routine, all bathed in the natural magic of an evening in June.

With gorgeous illustrations and seamless transitions between reality and the fantasy of a child’s view of the night sky, readers of all ages will reach for this lilting bedtime poem again and again.

Opening Lines:

Rising moon

Shining moon,

Magic as a

June moon.

What I LOVED about this book From the very start, Nate Carvalho creates and establishes the whimsical connection of the moon and the child, within the framework of Lynn Becker's lilting, gentle bedtime poem.

Text © Lynn Becker, 2024. Image © Nate Carvalho, 2024.

As the child wraps up a day playing at the beach, building sandcastles, pretending to be a mermaid or a pirate sailing the seas, the moon rises slightly higher and shines down with a laughing, happy expression. These scenes are full of imagination and gorgeous sunset backdrops.

The bath and bedtime routine spreads continue to play with the whimsy, the arrival of stars, and light. I was captivated by the three moons in this image. The large silhouette on the wall, encompassing most of the scene, the smaller glowing reflection under the words, and the smiling moon the child draws in the steamy mirror. I remember doing this as a child & with my children.

Text © Lynn Becker, 2024. Image © Nate Carvalho, 2024.

And what bedtime book would be complete without a little snuggling and hugging? This book doesn't disappoint. The whimsy and aww that Nate Carvalho wove into the story so far soars to a 10 as she even gives the moon its own snuggly teddy bear, as the child starts to sleepily settle into bed.

Text © Lynn Becker, 2024. Image © Nate Carvalho, 2024.

Tired moon,

Teddy moon,

Drifting to the tune moon.

In addition to following the child's bedtime routine, the book flows from the rising to the setting of the moon with a mirroring of the text and the image between the beginning and the end. A sweet, imaginative book, with a lilting rhyme lulling readers to sleep with their heads full of whimsical dreams; it's sure to be a favorite bedtime read.

Resources:

• make your own sensory moon or paint a moon for your room. Use cotton balls, white crayon or marker, or other fabric to make special clouds around your moon.

• pair with Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes, Goodnight Spaceman by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Nick East, and Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book Board by Britta Teckentrup.

If you missed my interview with Lynn Becker on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.

If you're in the area:

Join the celebration of Lynn Becker’s newest release, JUNE MOON!!! Book signing, bit of swag, and a chin-wag at Barnes and Noble Boulder (2999 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80301) on Saturday, June 1st from 11am-3pm with Beth Anderson and Julie Rowan-Zoch.