By Riley Gonzalez —
I’ve just been flying around the world, buzzing the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Empire State Building of New York City, hitching a ride on a fingernail moon.
This is the dreamscape described in the child’s book, The Finger Nail Moon. It’s a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of fantasy that combines charm with science lessons.
Greg McKenzie works as a pianist in Japan, where he married and raised children. He is a man of remarkable sensitivity — and while writing has not been his forte, he brings to this tale the magic of music.
Finger Nail Moon is delightfully illustrated Sarah Gledhill, a UK artist who once lived her own adventure bouncing around the hot African veld in a landy.
A “finger nail moon” is scientifically called a crescent moon, which you will learn, along with all the phases: waxing crescent, first quarter moon, waning gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter moon and waning crescent. It was good to dust up on the phases after a few years of not study (“dust up” with some moon dust).
You can also teach your kids about clouds, as the finger nail moon comes down to little Maddy in her dreams and gives her rides around the skies and even the Solar System. Her mom hitches a ride, her friends too. Even I decided to join.
You can your copy of The Finger Nail Moon on Amazon. I suggest you read the book to your children with the piano playing of McKenzie in the background as it contributes the sense of wonder and beauty of God’s creation.
