Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Light That Governs the Night--Monthly Challenge

By Janie Reinart




Our ancestors were drawn to the luminous orb like a moth to a flame. The mystery and magic of the light that governs the night fascinates us still. Get your moon shoes on and take the jump. Your challenge is to write about the moon.



Night’s shadow fingers
Reaching across expanses
Barely hold the moon.
~Janie Reinart



Behold the moon. In the Japanese Kamakura era (1185-1333 AD), Buddhism influenced art and literature. Moon gazing parties were held in gardens to read and write poetry about the moon.

Husking rice?
a child squints up?
to view the moon.
~Matsuo Basho



Consider creating a Moon Journal to record poems, scientific observations, sketch pictures, or write about dreams.Your journal will hold your discoveries and be a place for surprises.

Now let's explore picture books about the moon. 


By Jennifer Rustgi

The moon connects us to people and places. This story takes us to the seven continents, marks the phases of the moon, and has references in the back matter. The art work shows the little girl in silhouette. 

"Come along on an enchanted adventure around the world with a young girl and her faithful companion, the Moon.

Hey there, Moon. There you are again. I wonder why do you follow me?"



By Susanna Leonard Hill
Moon longs for a friend and has been waiting for someone to visit. The back matter has bonus educational pages about the moon mission!

"The moon was the queen of the night. She was so bright that everything she touched glowed with silver light. 

But after many, many years had passed, she was lonely.

'If only someone would visit me.' she said."

















By Joyce Lapin

Birthday parties are the best--on the moon. This book combines fun and facts about outer space.


" How amazing would it be to have your birthday party on the moon? 


Of course, everyone would want to come. Not just because it is the moon--but who wouldn't want to ride to a party in a rocket?

You'll get to fly 40 times faster than a plane. And for the most of the trip you'll also get to...

float."


So what are you waiting for? Go gaze at the moon and write. 



“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, 

you'll land among the stars.”


~ Norman Vincent Peale





18 comments:

  1. Great mentor texts and haiku examples. I like this challenge. Janie, we sure have a beautiful harvest moon right now. Ty for this post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kathy. I love gazing at the moon.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for the inspirational post and challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just opened a new file with a few moon inspired sentences! Thanks for the prompt!

    ReplyDelete
  4. A moon journal...love this idea!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So fun, Janie, with such a gorgeous full moon last weekend - this was a perfect luminescent post.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fun post! Perfectly timed with all the moon emphasis right now and the great full moon (which we mostly missed due to clouds). Thanks for the awesome list of books.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Perfect posting for the fall harvest moon sightings, Janie! Thank you for your researched list and examples. Since 2002, living in the Kansas plains, my family has been enthralled every fall with the golden orange orb hovering in the evening sky at dusk. There must be another moon story coming from one of us...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marsha beautiful poetry--the golden orange orb hovering in the evening sky :)

      Delete
  8. The moon is a great topic. You can cover so many topics and emotions.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I can't be the only one who wants to sing Moon River, right? At night these past few days, the full moon shines in my bedroom window, blinding me with its glow. I LOVE it! Must be inspired by this orb, and by your post, Janie!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What an inspiring topic! The moon lit my path as I walked the dogs late last night & was just visible in the western sky when we walked this morning, too. I've read many of your suggested mentor texts & look forward to reading the others. To this wonerful list, I'd add Sing to the Moon, Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl & Sandra van Doorn (Lantana Publishing/2018), set in Uganda. I reviewed it last year: https://patricianozell.com/?s=sing+to+the+moon

    ReplyDelete