In this read-aloud for ages 0-5, a young girl travels from the city to the country to visit her grandparents. During her trip and visit, she describes the phases of the moon and aspects of the moonlight with a heartfelt understanding of beauty. Her young life is steeped in the magical wonder of the moon and its Creator. “God put it there for all to see, but especially because He loves me.” With beautiful watercolor illustrations from Jean Schoonover-Egolf, author/illustrator of the Molly McBride series, this book is sure to delight young and old.
The Inspiration Behind God Made the Moonlight
I have always loved to look at the sky. As a little girl, I would notice the moon “following” me everywhere I went, especially on long drives in the country at night. I grew up in Michigan, and my family got to see the aurora borealis quite often in the summers. As I finished elementary school, I started thinking about becoming an astronaut, like many children of the 1980s. In eighth grade, I attended Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama and joined the Young Astronauts. One of only two girls in the program in my hometown, I went on to consider the Air Force briefly before reconciling with my terrible eyesight.
As a young mom homeschooling my own children, I started to realize a lifelong dream to write books for them. God Made the Moonlight came to me as I was nursing child number 5 and looking up at the moon in our picture window. It took me several nights to complete the first draft. I wanted a story that would help children realize God’s immense love for them, which is evident all around us in nature. The moon is like a friend to me, and even in life’s ups and downs, the constancy of its orbit and the ever-changing nature of its reflected light from the sun point to the Creator of the universe. God is both constant, and endlessly inventive.
“Loved the book-especially that it asks the child for their own thoughts. Beautifully illustrated as well.”
“This book immediately takes me back to gazing at the moon as my family traveled back from family visits or errands, watching as it seemingly followed me home outside the car window. The author and illustrator tap into the sweet comfort of the moon’s familiarity and how it’s simultaneously so personal yet universal through beautiful illustrations and equally wonderful words. A great read-aloud for young children likely to become a family favorite!”
“This book is mesmerizing! It brought me back to my childhood when life was simple …and you had the luxury of time to sit and ponder. Come and ponder with this young girl as she meditates on all aspects of the moon and how it is such a huge and wondrous thing in her life. Most of all it makes her wonder about the moon’s creator, God… and that He made this lovely big moon to always be there for her and for everyone. Fantastic illustrations by Jeanie Egolf give a child’s visual perspective of the moon and all that is around her. This story gave me a lovely haunting stillness inside and drew me to wonder about the moon too. Beautiful. Atmospheric. This book offers children the opportunity to dive into God’s creation…to meditate…and to be still. The beginnings of prayer.”
Eight Hobbits 