Sing to the Moon

Ellie, age seven, helped me review the children’s book Sing to the Moon. Ellie had a little trouble understanding the storyline when she tried to say it back to me. “I had trouble following the story because I forgot that Jjajja was the name for the grandpa and not the little boy.” I explained that Jjajja is the Ugandan term for grandpa, and she understood that when we reread the book. Ellie did not know about Ugandan culture, understandably, but after learning about their rainy seasons and the different types of trees and plants that grow there, she understood better. “The pictures make sense to the story but not all the words. I liked the pictures and how it was a boy and his grandpa together.”

The insert in the back of the book was very helpful for the adult to explain things in the book to the child, especially when they pertained to a different culture than both the adult and child are knowledgeable of. As the adult, I enjoyed seeing the message of reminiscing on the past and telling stories as an enjoyable and fascinating alternative to boredom and depression.