I Took the Moon for a Walk (Bilingual Children's Book) - Somali-English

This sweet story, written in rhyme, will appeal immensely to the young child. In the tale, a young boy takes a walk through the countryside with the moon as his only companion. His nocturnal meanderings take him by sleeping “rust-bellied robins,” through dew-drenched fields, to the swings, where he kicks his feet high and imagines “that the moon had just asked [him] to fly.” The little boy then dances across a bridge, where he “echoes in [the] glow” between the moon above and its reflected light from the water below. After accompanying the boy home, the moon thanks him by “sharing its sweet sleepy light.”

Many readers will appreciate the fanciful illustrations of acclaimed illustrator Alison Jay. After painting these whimsical, folk art-inspired images, Ms. Jay applied a crackle varnish to give the work an “antique” look. Little readers will delight in the big fat moon with its little arms and legs and changeable expression.

I particularly enjoyed the last two fact-filled pages of the book. The first page, entitled “The Mysterious Moon,” contains interesting information about the moon, including how different cultures view (and celebrate) the moon, and the different phases of the moon. In the second page, “The World at Night,” the author discusses nocturnal animals, insects, and flowers.