Children's Books

The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons is a nonfiction picture book that gives detailed descriptions of
the phases of the moon, eclipses, and lunar exploration. The book is at a second grade reading
level and is a good starting off point for a moon unit.

Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Elphinstone Dayrell would be categorized as
fiction because it is an African folktale. It’s leveled at a fourth grade reading level and would be
a great way to tie social studies and science together.

Moon by Stewart Ross is a nonfiction book that describes the preparation and journey of Apollo
11, which would be a good way to integrate science/lunar exploration into a solar system unit.

Why Does the Moon Change Shape? by Melissa Stewart is a nonfiction book in a Tell Me Why,
Tell Me How series and is suitable for grades three through five. The book introduces the
concept of the phases of the moon and how the earth’s rotation affects the phases.

Midnight On the Moon by Mary Pope Osborne is a fiction chapter book in the Magic Treehouse
Series that elementary student love. This book would be a great way to engaged students who
may not otherwise be interested in science in a lunar unit.

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle is most suited for introducing a moon
unit in the primary grades. It is a good jumping off point for confronting young children’s
misconceptions about the moon.

Where On Earth is the Moon? by Ruth Martin is a fiction picture book that would best be suited
for the primary grades. It would be a great way to engage children in a study about the moon,
then follow up with a nonfiction text to confront misconceptions about the moon.

The Man in the Moon by William Joyce is a picture book in the first book in a series about a
man’s journey through the Milky Way. The book is written at a fifth grade reading level, but the
fantasy and folk tales would appeal mostly to the primary grades.

When the Moon is Full by Penny Pollock is most suited for the primary grades. The Native
American folktales and legends described in this book provide a nice segway from Science into
Social Studies.

The Moon by Seymour Simon is a nonfiction picture book that answers questions such as: “Why
is there no weather on the moon? Is there sound on the moon? Is it ever day on the moon?”
The book is both informative and engaging with large, real life photos of the moon.