Yes, Gloria is off to England, clutching her favorite book, Goodnight Moon.  Pierre was the one who told her to take her favorite book on the journey, and of course Gloria’s favorite book is Goodnight Moon, because she hears it read aloud at school every day.

We have just started to learn about France, and we have Goodnight Moon – in French!

We will read the book with Pierre.  Well, Pierre will be doing most of the reading.  He can read the French words and I can read the English words, page by page.

Of course I’ve been reading Goodnight Moon aloud to the children every day before chapter reading since the first day of school.  They now know the words by heart, but not so much the pictures.  As I got the book ready for Gloria, children delighted in looking through the illustrations, finding all the objects they know so well by hearing the words.  Then, we found the mouse on every page, and saw the darkening on each page.  It felt like Goodnight Moon had come full circle.

Goodnight Moon book cover

One of the many book pages where children find the objects
they have heard me read about
over and over again.  

Interestingly, the pages darken as the book carries on.
This was quite a discovery for the children.

As the year goes on, I change up Goodnight Moon.  Sometimes I substitute children’s names into the text; “In the great green room there was Sally’s telephone and a red balloon, and a picture of Sam jumping over the moon.”  This is hugely popular, and hearing their name in the text is important.

Sometimes I sing Goodnight Moon.  The tune doesn’t matter.  Music cements language and literacy.

Sometimes I even do a ‘Jennie Rap’ with the djembe.

Now is the time of year when the Helper of the Day can join me to recite Goodnight Moon.  This is a big deal!  Knowing the words is one thing, wanting to say those words loud and proud is another thing.

Jennie