Mabel and Sam at Home by Linda Urban and Hadley Hooper

Mabel and her brother Sam are clearly in the midst of a move. 

Just like we have been! Which explains the lack of involvement on the blog. All that packing and cleaning and cleaning and unpacking takes a lot of time.

Fortunately, they have a limitless imagination

But mostly Mabel. Sam is a little skeptical of his big sister and her imaginings. Just like little brothers generally are. 

I love how the illustrations show the movement from reality to imagination.

After sailing for some time, Sam starts to wonder about getting back on land. Mabel warns him of the danger. 

But the siren call of the pizza delivery guy decides things. 

"They might be dangerous," said Captain Mabel. 

"Starving might be dangerous too," said First Mate Sam. 

Little brothers are so hard to control. 

First Mate Same did not hear.

He was already heading for land, "ahoying" at the inhabitants.

In the second mini-story in this book, Mabel is a tour guide, giving Sam an up close view of important things. 

Most of the things Tour Guide Mabel point out happen to be about her. 

"This is the famous table where the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Sandwich was invented," said Mabel. 

"I eat those," said Sam.

"Yes," said Mabel. "But you at them second. Museums are about people who do things first."

 Being second is just no good Sam. 

Sam gets his own back though when he makes a unilateral decision to eat the "...Ancient Frosted Pitty-Pat of Calimari. The last one of its kind."

"And I am the first to discover it," said Sam. 

In the last story in the book, Mabel and Sam embark on a space odyssey just before bed. 

I love Sam. 

Then, the bold astronauts are made to head to bed. Even with alien noises echoing around. Or  maybe that is just Mr. Woofie who needs to go out. 

And then, a cozy, sleepy night in their new house. I adore cozy inside family scenes. They are just so... nice. And niceness is a rare quality in this world. 

If You Decide to go to the Moon by Faith McNulty & Illus by Steven Kellogg

(I know, I know. Those are planets up there, with nary a moon in sight. Photo props for moon travel are a little thin.)

This is a fun, information dense book about space travel and the moon with pictures by Steven Kellogg. 

Maybe it is just the fact that I am a child of the '80's, but I love Steven Kellogg's illustrations. 

Moonlight on water, rolling farmland, siblings, and pets. 

This book will get you started in the right direction. 

Although this book has a lot of information about traveling once you get in the space ship, it glosses over the building your own space ship thing. 

So this book is only useful if you happen to have a space ship and launcher sitting somewhere on your back 40. Because who doesn't? 

Look at all those lovely watercolors! 

Slicing through the stratosphere

Underwear at zero gravity. Hilarious!

Close up view of the moon. For a kids picture book, there is a lot of information. And it is palatable information too. Nothing too wordy.

Butterfly cards and floating in a dream. 

And finally, there is the moon.

Moonwalking!

The noiseless moon.

Will there be mooncows over this hill? 

I love thinking about this little farm kid wandering around the moon. 

Nope. No mooncows. No nothing. 

Making sure the flag is flying. Because the last astronauts knocked it over when they took off. 

And then it is back to your space ship.

Lift off!

And as he leaves the barren moon, this farm kid thinks about earth and all the life and living-ness of earth. 

A big four page fold out.

And then finally, familiar fields. 

Familar faces.

This earth is rather lovely. Even if the people on it can be pretty messed up!

Did you know Steven Kellogg lives in Upstate New York? Us North Countryers laugh when people call an  hour or two north of the city "upstate" but he lives there. 

And makes beautiful pictures of the land around him.