Looking up into the sky fills a child with curiosity. The vast unknown spurs our kids to imagine and wonder. If your kids are captivated by the sun, moon, and stars, share these creative picture books that feature those popular features of the sky with them. This list is full of imaginative characters and adventures in space as well as a sprinkling of factual information that will dazzle your kids.
- By the light of the moon, a boy and his father go owling in Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. It is cold and quiet, but peaceful. In fact, the only sounds heard are the owl calls. This makes a soft and poetic bedtime story to share with your kids.
- Another story perfect for bedtime is Rabbit Moon by Jean Kim. A rabbit on the moon takes all the wishes from the earth and turns them into stardust. When the rabbit gets lonely, he decides to take a trip to Earth, where he meets lots of friends. But soon the sky becomes too dark and the rabbit realizes he needs to get back to his job.
- Mousetronaut, by real-life astronaut Mark Kelly, is the story of a hardworking little mouse named Meteor, who dreams of going to space — and gets his chance. In fact, he proves that he can be very useful when trouble arises.
- It doesn't get much darker than the dark of space. The Darkest Dark, by astronaut Chris Hadfield, is all about overcoming fears and reaching for your dreams — even if those dreams take you all the way to space. The end pages include photographs of the author in space.
- Wouldn't it be fun to have your own star? That's what a boy decides he wants in Reach for the Stars by Oliver Jeffers. After multiple unsuccessful attempts at capturing a star from the sky, the young boy finds a different kind of star waiting for him.
- Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm have a sunlight series about the marvelous sun and how it impacts life on our planet. Try Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth with the kids. Children will learn about the different properties of water through detailed illustrations and friendly explanations.
- If your little one would like to take an adventure to the moon, this "manual" will strike a chord. Playful instructions are given from packing all the way to returning to Earth in If You Decide to Go the Moon by Faith McNulty.
- The Lost Stars by Hannah Cumming is a fun story about the stars who get tired of people not looking at them up in the sky. The stars decide to take a vacation... and then people actually start to miss those shining objects in the sky.
After you enjoy some of these books with your kids, encourage them to tell or write their own story about the sun, the moon, or the stars. And check out our space and astronomy books for older readers, too.
Connect with Jodie Rodriguez at Growing Book by Book.
