Rachael Cole

In this simple tale of a parent and child taking a night time walk in New York City to see the moon, young children will see just that. They may or may not resonate with the protagonist who doesn't quite get that when the moon is hidden behind a building or a tree and reappears, it's the same moon. Older readers will see that the author is showing how child development works -- perhaps it's the pre-operational stage, where a kid is understanding permanence. Perfect book for a human show more development class as well as a sweet bedtime story for children. I couldn't help but notice the chubby mom. It's nice to see characters all shapes and sizes in the world. I also couldn't help but notice a small detail in the illustrations - a pregnant woman, and she was black. With maybe 25 characters in the background of the cityscape, maybe only a handful of people of color, isn't this playing negatively into a stereotype? I wonder if this will be noticed by reviewers. show less

This book follows a young child going for a nighttime walk with their mother. Together, they search for the moon, and the child asks their mom some questions. The child asks about the stars (they think the stars a little moons), the moon (they think there are multiple moons), and the puddles of water on the street (they think that there's a moon in the water). Each time, the child's mom calmly answers the question, and they continue walking. The book gave me a very warm feeling, as it's a show more very calming book with cool colors and simple words. It's obviously the type of book you would read to a young child before bed, and I understand why, since it's so relaxing. The illustrations also show all the different types of people living in the city that the child and mother are walking through, and how different everyone's nighttime routines can be. I really enjoyed this book, though it was pretty simple (though I think that's a good thing). I could imagine reading this before bed and falling asleep, and I honestly think that's what the author and illustrator were going for. show less

Inspired by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends that parents and caregivers read to their children every day, in order to build language, literacy and social skills, author Rachael Cole spins this sweet tale of a mama mouse who reads to her baby. Every day, from the time the mouseling is a newborn, she reads to and with him, eventually witnessing his emergence as an independent reader. One day, when he has grown up, he begins to read to his own baby...

Mousie, I Will Read to show more You is only the second picture-book from Cole, who made her debut with the lovely City Moon, but it is an engaging title all the same. A celebration of the bond between parent and child, and how that bond is strengthened and shaped by reading together, it will undoubtedly find a warm reception with young bibliophiles and their parents. The accompanying artwork by illustrator Melissa Crowton is appealing, capturing the murine charm of the characters quite nicely. A letter from Pamela High, a fellow at the American Academy of Pediatrics, is included at the rear, and extols the many virtues of reading with children. show less

A young boy and his mother go on a nighttime walk to see the moon in this sweet picture-book from American author Rachael Cole and Spanish illustrator Blanca Gómez. As they walk through their neighborhood, they see the moon in many guises - shining brightly, obscured by a cloud, reflected in a street puddle - before eventually returning home. That night, when the mother tucks her son into bed, he asks that the curtains be left open, to let the light of the moon in...

City Moon, which is show more apparently the author's children's book debut, is a lovely little tome, one which pairs a quiet, contemplative text with colorful, collage-looking digital artwork. Although the "going to bed" part of the story is confined to the ending, I think this would make an excellent going to bed book, with its gentle series of observations and mother-son exchanges. Recommended to anyone looking for new bedtime stories, or picture-books focusing on the moon. show less