The Mom I Want to Be

 

We chose a book by Lisa Shulman, The Moon Might Be Milk.  The story is about a little girl who wants to know what the moon is made of. Awakening before dawn, Rosie looks past the cat on her windowsill to the moon and says, “I wonder what it’s made of.” Cat replies that the moon is a saucer of milk. Rosie concedes that it might be, but she gets dressed, goes outside, and asks several other animals the same question. Hen thinks that the moon is an egg. Butterfly believes it’s made of sugar, Dog says “butter,” and Mouse is sure that it’s made of flour. Each animal joins Rosie on her quest. Finally, they arrive at Rosie’s grandmother’s house, where Gran combines milk, egg, sugar, butter, and flour to make moon-shaped sugar cookies, satisfying everyone. The mixed-media artwork features Hillenbrand’s strong, distinctive lines that define the characters, colors that range in intensity from brilliant to muted, and a rich array of patterned surfaces that make the settings varied and vivid. Though some of the illustrative elements fade into the background, even the shadows here contribute to the storytelling. The story reads aloud well, and in an open-ended conclusion, Rosie asks a new question for readers to explore on their own. The final page offers a recipe for Gran’s Sugar Cookie Moons, for those who want to extend the story into the kitchen. 

 

Activity:  The book itself provides the activity!  Everyone she asks says what they think the moon is made from.  When it all gets mixed together, it makes moon cookies.  Use the recipe in the back of the book to make your own delicious moon cookies. Have children help measure and mix ingredients, and flatten the cookies with sugar to make them sparkle. You may wish to discuss the phases of the moon as children nibble their cookies into crescent moon shapes!

 

Each animal in the book says that the moon is made of something white or light colored: milk, egg, sugar, butter, flour. Ask children to think of other things the moon could be compared to. Invite them to compare the moon with things that are round or crescent-shaped, things that are bright, etc.

Have each child write a metaphor about the moon. Encourage children to expand their metaphors with descriptive details, for example: The moon is an egg. Small shining chicks hatch from it to become the stars. You may wish to have children illustrate their metaphors and then collect them into a class book.

At the end of the book, Rosie wonders what the sun is made of. Have children brainstorm a list of things the sun could be compared to. Work with them to write a group story about Rosie’s quest to discover what the sun is made of. Encourage children to use metaphors in their story (see previous activity).

Explain to children that for thousands of years, people have wondered about the moon, sun, and stars. There are many stories that explain what these celestial bodies are, their movements, and how they came to be in the sky. Use The Moon Might Be Milk to introduce some of these other stories, myths, or legends about the moon, or to complement studies about the moon or the solar system.

Click here if you would like a printable PDF of these activities.