Sidney, Stella and the moon by Emma Yarlett

cover image

Lothian, 2013. ISBN 978 0 7344 1409 0.
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Moon. Siblings. Sharing. Twins Stella and Sidney do everything together but when it comes to sharing, they are impossibly divided. One night fighting over a bouncy ball, the toy slips from their grasp and bounces out of the window, high into the sky, where is smashes into the moon, causing it to break into a million pieces. They are distraught, the sky has a black hole, how can the world exist without its moon?
They must work together to find a solution, trawling the house for something yellow and round to fill the space in the sky. Readers will love following the search for a replacement moon, spying all the different things on each page which are roundish and yellow.
When the one thing is found to put into the sky, a catapult is needed to propel it skywards, but the pair differ over who will shoot the machine. An argument known only too well to both children is neatly resolved as they work together.
The mixed media illustrations will draw the eager reader's eye to the detail presented on each page. Each page is presented differently, allowing the reader to be surprised as each page is turned, particularly when they reach the centre with its pair of doors ready to be opened to reveal the effects of the lack of a moon. The font is that of an old styled typewriter adding another level of interest to an already bold inviting book.
For teachers and parents looking for a book about sharing, or to introduce the sky to a child or group of children, this this book will be a must have.
Fran Knight

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