Common Sense Media Review
By Patricia Tauzer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Soft, nostalgic artwork for dreamers of all ages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 2+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
A young boy watches a plane pass overhead and wonders what it would be like to fly to the moon. His imagination takes him there. He pictures himself landing gently on the cratered moon and then, in his space suit, jumping on the moon and flying himself. Once his adventure is over, he comes back home to the arms of his waiting mother.
Is It Any Good?
Every kid will relate to the imaginative young boy who sees himself soaring above cars, trains, and boats, going further and further into outer space -- all the way to the moon. The story is written in the language of a child, imaginative yet also quiet and gentle. Drawn on watercolor paper, the penciled drawings are deceptively simple; their subtlety makes this book magical and captivating. Using grayish tones subtly tinted with reds, Peter McCarty styles cars, trains, and planes after those of the '50s.
The well-paired text and art create a dreamy world filled with a wonderful sense of nostalgia that will grip adult readers and children alike. This book just might make parents drop everything and take their kids out to an open field where they can lie down to look at the moon -- and dream.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how it feels to fly. Parents can share their own experience of soaring above the clouds -- or ask kids to share their own, if they've been on an airplane. Families could also talk about the moon. Parents could ask kids if they would like to go there, and what they imagine it would be like.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrators : Norman Bridwell , Patience Brewster , Peter McCarty , Sandra Boynton
- Genre : Picture Book
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date : August 22, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 2 - 5
- Number of pages : 40
- Last updated : July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate