In this picture-book collection, veteran children's poet Singer offers a moving, informative "lunar journey" around the globe, starting with New York City's "Broadway Moon," which "waits behind skyscrapers / a brilliant actor in the wings." On each spread, Singer creates an evocative verse vignette that suggests a whole story with only a few lines. In the Sahara, for example, a Moroccan boy gazes at the full moon from his tent and dreams of exploring it himself: "Astronauts less familiar with heat and dust / have walked there. / Why not one day / him?" In many selections, Singer neatly folds scientific information into the lyrical lines, as in a scene of ghostly divers moving silently over a reef as the coral prepare to spawn under the full moon. The human figures in Cairns' watercolor images occasionally have a stiff, awkward quality, but the joyful colors and compositions echo the words' celebratory tone. More lunar information opens and closes this creative choice for cross-curricular sharing that taps into the moon's mysterious, awe-inspiring allure.

Sixteen concise poems provide snapshots of full-moon celebrations around the world, from Canada to the Caribbean, Haifa to Hong Kong, and the International Space Station. Each verse reveals the full moon's powerful pull on the natural world and its inhabitants. The volume concludes with additional information about the places; a map appears on the endpapers. Atmospheric watercolor illustrations reflect the different scenes. Websites. Bib.

A celebration of the full moon via various cultures, countries and festivals. Singer deftly invites readers to consider and appreciate Earth's silvery satellite through poems written in a variety of styles that offer a glimpse of how the full moon is enjoyed and welcomed throughout the world. Several of the offerings reflect fascinating natural phenomena that occur or are influenced during periods of the full moon, and short endnotes about the poems provide helpful, contextual information. Cairns' cheery, childlike, energetic watercolors, feeling the double-page spreads, make the diverse cultures and locales come alive. Readers will be enchanted by the idea that the lovely orb that shines above all the world's peoples has engendered so much wonder and so many rich traditions. In addition to facts about the natural world, readers will learn some interesting trivia: Who knew that when one bends over and looks through the legs the moon looks smaller? Double-page world maps on the endpapers that pinpoint the locales in which the poems are set and a foreword with illustrations of the moon's phases in both hemispheres add to the interest and helpfulness of this volume, enhancing its usefulness as a literary work and a supplement to classroom studies about the moon.  Gentle and lovely, just like its inspiration. (Picture book/poetry. 7-10)

Gr 3-6 Starting and ending in New York City, this book takes readers full circle on a 17-poem journey that celebrates the rising of the full moon around the globe. Singer's poetry presents a world of science facts, cultural events, and some of the unusual customs that surround the cyclical occurrence. Her poems create marvelous pictures. She personifies Manhattan's Broadway moon, "It waits behind skyscrapers,/a brilliant actor in the wings,/ready for its monthly debut," and describes the monthly optical illusion in Broome, Australia, "Its glow builds a magic staircase from mudflats to the sky." Along the way, titles invite readers to celebrate the "Moon Festival" in Hong Kong, a "Camel Fair" in India, "Harvest Time" by moonlight in Iowa, and the amazing "Coral Spawning" in the Caribbean. Cairns's vibrant watercolors and warm folk-art style successfully capture the excitement of the around-the-world occurrences. Each poem is graced by her artwork on a bold, brightly colored spread. An introductory page contains lunar facts and figures, and endpapers depict a world map so that youngsters can follow the journey. The combination of descriptive poetry and eye-catching illustrations will invite children to wonder and imagine while the multicultural themes and science facts will excite and satisfy. This title will work quite well as a read-aloud for younger children, and independent readers will find much to think about and appreciate. Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY