Are you looking for a phases of the moon book that can hold the attention of a preschooler? Then check out Moon! Earth’s Best Friend written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Stevie Lewis. This is THE book that started my obsession with the Our Universe series. This is the third book in the series; there are five total but really four because one has to do with oceans. OK, it’s related but still, I don’t count that one.
This is a fun, upbeat, super interesting book all about the moon and told from the moon’s point of view. I LOVE that the moon is talking with me! Before the story even starts, there’s a page that says this book belongs to “Astronaut” and then there’s a blank for you to write your name. I really like pretending I’m an astronaut and found this to be the coolest thing ever. This moon book has a friendly tone and the quick facts are shared in ways that I can remember them. For example, the moon explains that it’s Earth’s only natural satellite. Then it explains in just four words what natural means: “not created by Earthlings.” And then it explains what a Satellite means: “I circle Earth.” I’m able to remember all those things. The book also talks about gravity, tides, sizing of things, even the footprints astronauts have left on the moon’s surface. I was shocked to learn there’a a golf ball and hammer up there left behind by messy astronauts.
This book has beautiful colors on every page, that make you feel as if you’re in outer space when you’re reading it. I LOVED the part about the faces on the moon best. I’d ask mom to read it again and again. For a while, it’s all I could talk about. As surprise, my grandparents bought me a remote control Moon in My Room with the lunar phases. Together, I really think these are a great way to teach the phases of the moon for kids. I like to use the remote to choose the phase of the moon as mom mentions each one. There is a two-page spread in this book that’s is all about the eight phases of the moon and mom thinks it’s cute that each phase has a different face.
Buy the book on Amazon or buy the book on Bookshop
Do you have a favorite phase of the moon? Would you please let me know what it is on Facebook?! My favorites are the waning crescent and waxing crescent because it looks like the moon is smiling at me 🙂
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Moon Activities for Preschoolers
I loved the idea of being an astronaut and being on the moon so much that I asked mom to make a photo frame of an astronaut on the moon where I could cut out the part where the head goes and put my picture. Here’s that moon frame in case you’d like it too. It’s free, just print (in color) or color it in and add your own photo. If you’re having a space theme party for kids this could make a great space theme party favor for kids!
The book’s author also has free activities on her website for some of her books, including the book about the sun that’s part of the Our Universe series. Take a look: http://www.stacymcanulty.com/activity-pages
We also have SO MANY FREE SPACE THEME ACTIVITIES! We have a free space e-book filled with things to do for preschoolers, like connect the dots, tracing a countdown of numbers, outer space I-spy, and more. To get it, enter your first name and email and it will automatically be available to you. Then you’ll get more free activities that are similar; you can opt out of the free printables at any time.
We hope you LOVE the phases of the moon book as much as we do!
