When Moon Became the Moon

by Rob Hodgson, Rob Hodgson (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet Moon! Follow along as she guides us through her origin and her purpose in this charming and humorous nonfiction picture book.

Following the success of When Cloud Became a Cloud comes Rob Hodgson’s next long-form picture book about the moon’s origin and phases. This delightfully fun exploration into the moon both informs and entertains, and helps young readers make sense of the world around them. The charming protagonist, Moon, sparsely narrates her story in eleven short chapters with text bubbles and vignettes sprinkled in to provide wit, style, and humor. Young audiences will immediately connect to the colorful, whimsical art and welcome a sense of accomplishment in devouring this unexpected, yet wholly accessible scientific book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593657942
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/29/2023
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Rob Hodgson was born in a seaside town in the south of England, and studied illustration at Plymouth University. Today he lives in Bristol, where he spends his days making a mess and turning it into quality illustration projects and books. He cites Yoko Ono, Ed Templeton, and Arthur Russell among his influences. Working with traditional and lo-fi techniques such as block printing and wood cut, along with digital processes, Rob combines old and new approaches to create his work. His books have been translated into a dozen languages and his first author-illustrated book, The Cave, was chosen by Book Trust to be given free to every preschool-aged child in England. His interests include animals, skateboards, the psychology of perception, and collecting strange toys.
 

Editorial Reviews

BEST NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK OF 2023 -- School Library Journal

⭐ "Never has a celestial object’s past, present, and future been told in a more fun and fact-filled way. A must-have for all collections." -- (STARRED REVIEW) School Library Journal

"A lighthearted introduction to our lunar companion." --Kirkus

"An enjoyable introductory book for curious kids." --Booklist

"This book is sure to delight budding astronomers while inviting all readers to take time to look up at theevening sky and wonder." --The Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

★ 11/01/2023

PreS-Gr 2—Origin stories aren't just for superheroes! Moon's odyssey from flaming, red ball of Earth shards to silvery orb is one of the most iconic back stories. This companion to Hodgson's nonfiction-bending picture book When Cloud Became a Cloud, told in 11 very short chapters, describes the Moon's genesis as well as modern Moon phenomena such as phases, solar eclipses, and gravitational pull. There is also a nod to body positivity when Moon professes her love of her craters saying, "Each one is special!" Hodgson's personified planets, moons, and stars are simply illustrated and quite expressive, replete with eyelashes and cheeky grins. Nevertheless, clear and concise depictions of complex lunar processes will charm both children and adults. VERDICT Never has a celestial object's past, present, and future been told in a more fun and fact-filled way. A must-have for all collections; along with the first book and Drew Beckmeyer's I Am a Tornado, the lines between fiction and nonfiction are cheerfully smearing like chalk drawings on a rainy day.—Sarah Simpson

School Library Journal

2023-05-09
Hodgson follows up When Cloud Became a Cloud (2021) with this depiction of Earth’s moon.

Once again, objects are personified and the science is highly simplified but sound. In short, straightforward chapters, the author/illustrator introduces Sun and Earth, describes Moon’s formation, and goes on to cover her orbit, craters, light, and phases as well as how Moon affects Earth’s tides and Moon’s role in solar eclipses. The text alternates between statements and speech-bubble commentary from the three main characters. It’s set on the (usually) black background of cheery, collagelike illustrations that depict, among other things, Earth and Moon changing color as they cool down and Moon’s phases (also shown on the endpapers). Moon has googly eyes and a smiling face with various expressions; she’s friendly and helpful. And Earth is appreciative. The final two chapters discuss moon exploration so far—by rovers and humans—and hint at further visits. To conclude, Moon waves to a brown-skinned young earthling and issues an invitation: “Come visit me someday!” Where human characters appear, they’re diverse. The book covers much the same material as Stacy McAnulty’s similarly simple Moon! Earth’s Best Friend (2019) with much the same level of personification but slightly more challenging text and depth, though it’s still appropriate for preschoolers or very early readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A lighthearted introduction to our lunar companion. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews