Today I'm sharing a new title, Beautiful Moon: A Child's Prayer by Tonya Bolden. I saw the cover of this book online and that was all it took for me to know I had to get a copy on our library list pronto. I mean, just look at it - that is a simply awe-inspiring painting by Eric Velasquez that graces the cover. Plus the kiddo looks a whole lot like Sprout, or at least how he'll look in a few years (good grief, probably before I know it!). And the spreads inside the book are just as stirring. Velasquez is one of the most talented artists working in children's books, in my opinion, and I so enjoy sharing his work with Sprout.
Bolden's premise for the book is a young boy praying at his bedside. She starts the story with the boy waking up, having forgotten his prayers before going to sleep. First we see him praying, then we see images of all the people he's praying for - those with no homes, those who've gone to war, those who are sick. It's a wonderful theme for a book, and Bolden's craft shows through in every line, demonstrating connection and empathy (and, bonus, the boy's dad is black and his mother is white). The best detail is the moon shining down on all, both the boy and those he prays for, a bit that, I'll confess, I didn't even notice, but Sprout picked right up on.
No matter your faith or beliefs, it's nice to have books like Beautiful Moon to share with our kids. Titles that show little ones the importance of caring for others, are so crucial - and when they're as well-done as Beautiful Moon, an absolute joy to read together.
Beautiful Moon by Tonya Bolden, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers
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