Hello to you, Moon by Sally Morgan

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Ill. by Sonny and Biddy. Little Hare, 2017. ISBN 9781760125462
(Age: 3-5) When little people draw the curtains on the day, snuggle down and close their eyes, little do they know that a whole different world is waking up.
From the fading of the light through to the twinkling black and on until the dawning of the new day, as the constellations shift across the heavens and Moon completes its journey for another night, across the world nocturnal creatures are getting on with their lives, each paying homage to that timeless orb that will outlast and outlive them as it has done for generations of their forbears. From the kangaroo coughing at the moon at dusk in an Australian desert, to the jungles of Asia where sun-bears snuffle and grunt and to the still silence of the extra-long Antarctic night where penguins scurry and honk, the planet is populated by species that prefer the cool light of the moon to the bright heat of the sun. And while not all of them are strictly nocturnal, nevertheless all respond to the moon through movement and sound that little ones will like to mimic.
Stunningly illustrated in the details, textures and colours of the night, and building as a counting story, author and illustrators have brought the after-dark to life introducing the youngest readers to the nocturnal world in a way that will make them want to learn more about what else is up and about while they sleep and why they choose dark over light. It may also encourage curiosity about the Moon - why does it change shape; where does it go in the daytime; why can we sometimes see it in the day and not at night - but my favourite activity is to get them to listen to the sounds of night falling and imagine those things that are tucking themselves in for the night as they are and those things that are waking and greeting their new 'day'.
Formal teaching notes are available.
Barbara Braxton

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