Gazing at the moon is a childhood rite of passage. We love sharing children’s books about the moon to encourage kids’ sense of wonder and tackle those science standards. (Related: Can someone finally explain why it always seems like kids go wild when it’s a full moon?) Check out some of our favorite children’s books about the moon to add to your classroom library.
(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)
1. Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare
What if a school bus could drop your class off at the moon? Would you jump around, explore craters, or sketch the Earth from afar? And … what if you got left behind by accident? This wordless adventure is one of our favorite children’s books about the moon for little learners.
Buy it: Field Trip to the Moon on Amazon
2. City Moon by Rachael Cole and Blanca GĂłmez
A boy and his mother take a walk around their neighborhood on the lookout for the moon. The boy has lots of questions, which his mom patiently answers. Read this aloud and assign a moon-gazing walk for homework!
Buy it: City Moon on Amazon
3. A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
When her mother bakes a delicious mooncake, Little Star can’t resist nibbling some each night. This gorgeous story honors the spirit of the Chinese Moon Festival, and it gives kids a fun way to imagine the phases of the moon.
Buy it: A Big Mooncake for Little Star on Amazon
4. The Bear and the Moon by Matthew Burgess
Bear loves his red balloon, and when it pops, it’s devastating. The full moon provides the comfort Bear needs. Read this and ask children, “How do you feel when you look at the moon?”
Buy it: The Bear and the Moon on Amazon
5. How To Be on the Moon by Viviane Schwarz
The moon is the ultimate destination for a pretend space adventure. Anna and Crocodile blast off in their imaginary rocket and have the best time together. Read this aloud and then give kids a giant cardboard box to turn into their own moon vessel.
Buy it: How To Be on the Moon on Amazon
6. Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book by Britta Teckentrup
Cut-paper pages show the phases of the moon. This is one of our favorite children’s books about the moon to share with a small group. Kids always want to get right up close to the gorgeous artwork.
Buy it: Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book on Amazon
7. A Moon of My Own by Jennifer Rustgi
Isn’t it amazing how people all over the world look at the same moon? This innovative story shares lessons in both geography and astronomy as a girl travels the globe with the moon as her companion.
Buy it: A Moon of My Own on Amazon
8. Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty
Told in the first person by the moon itself, this is our favorite informational children’s book about the moon for introducing moon vocabulary in kid-friendly terms.
Buy it: Moon! Earth’s Best Friend on Amazon
9. Moon Pops by Heena Baek
Drip, drip. The night is so unbearably hot that the moon starts to melt. Luckily Granny knows just what to do: Make moon pops! If you’re looking for children’s books about the moon that share folklore from different cultures, you’ll definitely want this unique Korean-inspired title.
Buy it: Moon Pops on Amazon
10. The Moon Tonight: Our Moon’s Journey Around Earth by Jung Chang-hoon
Learn all about the 29-day cycle of the moon. The author, an astronomer, has a knack for sharing information in an understandable way. Plus, the illustrations tell a lovely story of a parent and child exploring nature together. Check out the teacher resources from the publisher too!
Buy it: The Moon Tonight: Our Moon’s Journey Around the Earth on Amazon
11. Go for the Moon: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing by Chris Gall
A boy narrates the Apollo 11 mission with earnest excitement. While he eagerly awaits the launch, he gets his own homemade rocket ready. Kids will love all the memorable fun facts and helpful comparisons.
Buy it: Go for the Moon: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing on Amazon
12. Bonnie’s Rocket by Emeline Lee
Bonnie’s grandfather, her Baba, works as an engineer for NASA. While he’s busy preparing for the Apollo 11 moon mission, Bonnie tries out different designs for her own homemade rocket. Based on the author’s own family history, the combination of history, STEM, and perseverance themes makes this an absolute must-share in the classroom.
Buy it: Bonnie’s Rocket on Amazon
13. Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing by Dean Robbins
Here’s a children’s book about the moon that highlights one of the key helpers behind the famous faces of the first moon landing. Margaret Hamilton’s curious nature helped her excel as a computer programmer for NASA.
Buy it: Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing on Amazon
14. The Moon Book (New & Updated Edition) by Gail Gibbons
This updated edition of a classic nonfiction author’s guide to the moon is perfect for building kids’ background knowledge and answering their questions. It has lots of informational text features to explore too.
Buy it: The Moon Book (New & Updated Edition) on Amazon
15. The Usborne Book of the Moon by Laura Cowan
This informational title encourages kids to pose their own questions about the moon—and then uses lots of fun page formats to help them find answers. We especially like the sections about different cultures’ beliefs and legends about the moon and the fun timeline of the Space Race.
Buy it: The Usborne Book of the Moon on Amazon
16. If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon by Joyce Lapin
Capture kids’ imaginations to help them learn science concepts! This title covers all the hypothetical details of a birthday bash on the moon, from the rocket ride to what would happen to your balloons, candles, and piñata.
Buy it: If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon on Amazon
17. The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon by Dean Robbins
Show kids the possibilities for how science and art can connect with this story of astronaut Alan Bean. He walked on the moon as part of the Apollo 12 mission and then returned home determined to create paintings that showed what he saw and what he felt.
Buy it: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon on Amazon
18. Bok’s Giant Leap: One Moon Rock’s Journey Through Time and Space by Neil Armstrong
Of course your moon-book collection should include the only kids’ title created by Neil Armstrong, the first person ever to walk on the moon! He teaches kids about the history of the moon from the unique perspective of a 4.5-million-year-old moon rock.
Buy it: Bok’s Giant Leap: One Moon Rock’s Journey Through Time and Space on Amazon
19. Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade
From 1960 to 1972, 12 astronauts explored the moon for a combined total of only 80 hours. Yet their discoveries completely changed our understanding of what the surface of the moon is like. This fascinating account of the Apollo missions will give kids lots to think about.
Buy it: Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon on Amazon
20. Who Was the First Man on the Moon? by Nathan Page
Hooray! One of our favorite nonfiction series for upper elementary kids now has a graphic novel collection. Invite kids to learn all about legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong with an engaging and accessible book format.
Buy it: Who Was the First Man on the Moon? on Amazon
What are your favorite children’s books about the moon to share with students? Let us know in the comments!
Also, check out our list of Great Space Books for Kids.
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