The Moon Book

Author and illustrator Gail Gibbons shares a wealth of information in this iconographic-animated adaptation of her 1997 nonfiction book, narrated by Chris Lutkin. Created in a cartoonish style, The Moon Book looks at Earth's moon, offering facts about the satellite's physical make-up, relation to our planet and sun, and history. A lengthy section covers—with matching nighttime background depictions—the different phases of the moon, and the short also includes key dates and milestones, ranging from Mesopotamian records of a lunar eclipse to the famous Apollo 11 landing, as well as info on legends and stories (cultural traditions, the moon's effects on werewolves, the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle”). Also featuring a read-along option with additional segments (including a solar eclipse project), this comprehensive overview is recommended. Aud: E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)