Moon Trip is Rocket's Dream in Fun Picture Book for Young Readers

Chiara Colombi's fun picture book Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams has both facts about taking a trip to the moon and a life lesson in friendship. Young readers will learn about a rocket that is taking a lunar landing robot to the moon for exploration. Educational facts are part of the story as Rocket takes off with her friend Lunar Lander.

Rocket has always wanted to go to the moon. Her assignment is now to take her friend Lunar Lander to the moon for exploring and sending data back to Earth. Rocket discovers that her friend is the only one that will be allowed to land on the moon and that she only has a fly-by trip. Rocket is disappointed with this information, but she must do her job in taking Lunar to the moon. Rocket wonders why they cannot share the landing but she is happy for her friend. They are three days out from Lunar's landing and then it is time for Lander to land on the surface. Rocket is instrumental in helping her friend successfully land on the moon surface and she learns to cheer her friend as he lands. Rocket learns that she can show pride in her friend even though she did not have a chance to land on the moon.

Scott Magoon contributed his talents as an illustrator for Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams. The illustrations are cartoon-like and engaging for young readers.

The text is written in engaging rhymes to encourage language skills in recognizing rhyming words.

Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams is recommended for ages 4-8. It was published by Viking, a division of Penguin/Random House. It has an ISBN of 978-0-593-52606-4.

Teachers who teach in early education classrooms will want to add this picture book to their classroom library. The text and illustrations are designed for young readers to learn about a trip to the moon and how space experts send lunar landing robots to the moon to gather information about the moon. The text is written in rhyming words for language development.

*Read Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams in a story time session. Call attention to the fact that Little Rocket has always wanted to go to the moon. Engage children in a discussion of going to the moon. How many children would like to go to the moon?

*Call attention to the illustration of the launch pad. Call attention to the new crew member that will also go to the moon. Lunar Lander will go to the moon and land on the moon to gather data to send back to earth. It is Rocket's job to take Lunar Lander to the moon.

*Call attention to the illustration of the earth. Call attention to the illustration of how Rocket will loop around the earth in its flight path.

*Call attention to the illustration of the craters on the moon. Prepare a hands-on activity for children to create the moon surface with craters. Provide a large poster board to build the surface of the moon. Spread a mixture of clay around the poster board. Create craters on the surface. Let dry and display in the classroom in a space exhibit after reading. Corn starch or ceramic powder can be mixed with clay to make it sturdier.

*Call attention to the fact that Lunar Lander had fear about landing on the moon. How did Rocket help her friend to overcome the fear? Engage children in a discussion of the friendship that Rocket and Lunar Lander shared. Engage children in a discussion of a special friend that they have.

*Provide a video of a rocket launch for children to watch.

*Call attention to the rhyming words in the text as you read. Engage children in a listening activity as they hear the rhyming words. Play a clapping game for children to clap when they hear the rhyming words. Learning about syllables can also be part of the rhymes. Teach a clapping game for children to clap the number of syllables in each rhyming word.

*Prepare a list of the vocabulary words that are related to space travel. Introduce the vocabulary words daily for children to learn the meaning.

*Assign a homework assignment for parents and children to observe the phases of the moon for a month. Children can draw the moon phase for each night and bring to class to make a class book.