Imani's Moon

by JaNay Brown-Wood, Hazel Mitchell (Illustrator)

Imani is a young Maasai girl with a loving mother and a desire to do something great. When she decides she wants to touch the moon, she works hard to reach her goal, even in the face of teasing from the naysayers around her.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Cultural, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

JaNay Brown-Wood, PhD is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and scholar. Her first book Imani’s Moon won the NAESP Children’s Book of the Year Award, and her second book Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and won the CELI Read Aloud Book Award. She has several poems published including Falling Leaves in the poetry anthology Thanku: Poems of Gratitude (Lerner/Millbrook, 2019) a Chicago Public Library’s Best Informational Books for 2019, an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, and a Notable Children’s Book for the Global Society. She has more than seven forthcoming books including Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep (Charlesbridge, forthcoming 2021), Where in the Garden a four-book series (Peachtree, forthcoming 2021, 2022, 2023) and Jam, Too (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, forthcoming 2023). She is represented by the fabulous Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary. Learn more about her here at www.janaybrownwood.com or follow her on Twitter @janaybrownwood.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots to enjoy here, particularly the luminous and evocative illustrations, the positive message of reaching for your dream and not letting others define you. Some readers will probably love the magical realism though I could see some children being a bit perplexed. However, it just didn't captivate me as much as I had expected. I also wish the author's note had been a bit more clear as to what aspects of the story she created herself versus what she had adapted from Maasai tradition. My understanding is that it is an original tale borrowing from Maasai cultural stories and mythologies. She mentions Olapa, the moon goddess, and Anansi, the spider. I would have appreciated more information about these.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani, the smallest child in her African village, has been teased mercilessly by the other children because of her size. Their heartless jabs are just beginning to take a toll on Imani’s self-confidence when her mother tells her the legend of the brave moon deity Olapa. Inspired by a dream in which she stands hand in hand with the lunar goddess, tiny Imani awakens with the desire to do something great, to touch the moon.

In pursuit of her dream, Imani tries to reach the moon by climbing a tall tree, and building herself a giant pair of wings. The village children, even a snake and a chimpanzee, scoff at her valiant but failed attempts to reach the sky. But Imani’s mother still believes in her, offering the tale of Anansi the spider as an soothing and inspirational bedtime story. “A challenge is only impossible until someone accomplishes it,” she reassures her young daughter.

Although discouraged, Imani attends a village celebration featuring the adumu, a special Maasai warrior jumping dance. She is particularly fascinated by one dancer who jumps higher and higher with each beat. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to try jumping her way to the moon. All day and into the night Imani jumps, a little higher each time. Despite her aching legs and throbbing feet, Imani keeps her focus on the moon, resolute on her goal.

Readers will yearn for Imani’s success in the face of her faith and tiny warrior-like endurance, and cheer when her persistence is ultimately rewarded by the moon goddess herself.

Gleaming and triumphant with arms stretched wide, the cover of Imani’s Moon welcomes readers into this magical story touched with mythology, folklore and story-telling traditions. Mitchell’s watercolor illustrations offer sharp contrast between the soft earth tones of the African landscape and the rich, star-studded night skies. Lovely details abound, from cuddly goats to beaded jewelry and colorful shuka robes.

This sweet, inspiring fantasy will rouse young readers to leap for their dreams, and dance, spellbound, until they hold the proverbial moon in their hands.

Don’t miss the charming book trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS1yR...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the nightly positive reinforcement from her mother encourages Imani to dream big and reach for the star, her ambitions take a daily pounding from the others in her Maasai village. The other youngsters make fun of the little girl, teasing her because of her diminutive size. Still, she keeps reaching for her goals, and although she fails more than once, eventually, she succeeds and gets a reward. Although the book's magical realism may be off-putting to some readers, it allows the story to have a dream-like quality and to be told just like a talented storyteller might share a tale with an engaged audience. Created with watercolor and graphite and then painted digitally, the illustrations are filled with vibrant hues and create a playful yet somber tone. This positive message is one that should be shared with youngsters who often forsake their dreams after others ridicule them or after a failure or two.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The smallest girl in her Maasai village, Imani is often teased by her peers. Inspired by her mother's storytelling, Imani attempts to do something great like the characters in the stories she hears; she sets herself the goal of touching the moon.

An author's note follows the story and gives the reader a little background on the elements of Imani's world. The watercolor and graphite illustrations were finished digitally and do a nice job of blending the epic quality of the stories with the real events of Imani's world.

Though this story is a little long for reading aloud, this book is appropriate for sharing with PreK-2.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Preschool-1st grade
Culture: Maasai people of Tanzania and Kenya

An imaginative tale about a girl teased for her smallness but with a perseverance that strives to touch the moon. Brown-Wood also presents a strong mother figure that tells stories of gods and goddesses that inspire Imani to strive for her heart's desire.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids will either go for the magical realism in this winsome tale or find it a tad jarring. There's a lot to like here from the spunky, height-challenged heroine to the sweet mother-daughter relationship where nightly storytelling is the routine, to the lively illustrations.

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. Imani is the smallest girl in her village, and for this she is made fun of quite often. She decides she's going to be like the characters in her mother's stories and do something great: she will touch the moon. Despite being ridiculed, Imani perseveres and finally accomplishes her goals.

Set in a Maasai village, this novel shows off the beauty of the East African countryside. Replete with lush jungles and animals of all sorts, Mitchell's gauche illustrations pop the story.

[Cassaundra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani's mother tells her that she can do anything; but, Imani wants to touch the moon and her friends tell her she'll never be able to reach anything because she's too small. Imani decides to try anyway and finally realizes her dream by using a dance she learns at a Maasai celebration.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Tale of a Masaai girl working to reach her goal of touching the moon. Positive message.

[Addie Lauver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani’s Moon
Plot/Reader Response:
This powerful story is about a young girl, Imani, who desperately wanted to touch the moon. She was a very tiny girl and she was often teased because of her size. Others would tell her she could not do what others could. After all the children continued to say this she began to believe them. Her Mama then said to her that she thought she could do anything but it was Imani that had to believe in herself. Then, she set her out to accomplish her dream of touching the moon. She tried multiple ways and each time she failed she was made fun of. Finally, after many methods and tries she did it! Imani had made it to the moon. She called for Olapa and she danced, sang, and laughed. She then noticed something shinny; it was her own tiny moon. She took this back with her and used it to show that she really did make her dream come true.
I enjoyed reading this book because of the message that Imani’s mom gave her and the way Imani took the thought and went for her goal. It shows the meaning inspiration and achievement.

Literary Merit:
The main theme in the story Imani’s Moon is the belief in oneself and the importance of not giving up on your dreams. In the story Imani was upset and began to loose hope. Two things that her mom said to her gave her inspiration. Mama said, “It’s only you who must believe” and “a challenge is only impossible until someone accomplishes it”. Both of those quotes were able to help Imani realize that she needed to believe in herself before anyone else could and even if no one else did.

Genre:
This story is part of my multicultural text set. The book Imani’s Moon is realistic fiction. This is a multicultural book because it is about a girl, Imani, she is part of a tribe or a village. In the story we see how the beginning of the story is and how the others in her culture act. In the story her village has a celebration and the warriors performed the adumu, the jumping dance. This is what led Imani to her realization of how to get to the moon.

Reader Response/Classroom Connection:
To engage and connect the class to this story I would first read the story and then ask the children if there was ever a time that someone told them they could not do something and the stuck with it and accomplished it? I would then have them draw a picture to represent that something and they would explain it to the class. It is important that we value children’s dreams and beliefs. I could also have a discussion based on Imani’s journey and how it was unkind of the village to make fun of her. How her perseverance led her to achievement.

[Parlei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many readers are misapplying the term magical realism to this book. This is not about mixing "real" with an inexplicable "nonreal", especially not in the Western setting where magical realism often takes place (that term also has roots in lots of Latin American literature).

This book is about storytelling as a powerful tool for transformation. Each night Imani is told a story through her dreams; her mother does not intervene on any of the other children's cruelty, but uses storytelling to ease her daughter's pain. Also, all of the talking animals are references to other, older storytelling traditions.

Storytelling is also crucial when when Imani finally does reach the moon. Notice how many details are missing, and how ambiguous it is. Isn't the way the silence is described interesting? And the children disappear as subjects, as though their jeering no longer matters, not necessarily that it has ended: "All was quiet. No one taunted or hissed or mocked or hooted." We don't know anything at all about their reaction or their presence. And when Imani returns home, it is not to detail her travels as fact, but through a story which she now tells her mother. Belief and storytelling are intertwined here as ways of living in this world despite its cruelties.

It's a beautiful story that my daughter loved, and will enjoy rereading.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about this magical story that has captured my 5-year-old's imagination. It seems to be a combination of the girl's persistence ("don't give up", he encourages her), the fantasy of gods/goddesses battling, the sheer audacity of touching the moon. Plus, it has great interactions with animals of the jungle, cultural descriptions of the Maasai people of Tanzania/Kenya, and a reference to Anansi the trickster. Highly recommended!

Our copy had a CD with a lovely narration by Maame Ya Boafo, and a note read by the author, JaNay Brown-Wood.

[David Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani's Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood: This is a very good story about maintaining hope and confidence when challenged by those who attempt to discourage us because of physical differences (in this story, size was the difference factor). This story also underscores the importance of supportive and encouraging parents in the lives of children. This book has excellent illustrations that give the reader connection with the characters. I particularly like the "Author's Note" that provide a educational synopsis of the cultural jumping dance of the Maasai people! Thanks, David Anthony Burgess.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book published a while ago, but worth remembering and sharing with children. It's a folktale about a girl who dreams of touching the moon and works hard to fulfill her wish, despite being teased by everyone for being the littlest and unable to do much of anything! Based on several folktales from the Maasai people in Tanzania and Kenya, the story takes Imani in several directions to touch the moon, till she finally finds the right one. There are lovely illustrations of the setting of a village, the children and of the folk stories.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani is a young African girl who is small for her age and is teased by other children because of it. Her mother tells her stories about the people in the sky, who can be seen in the stars. From her mother’s stories, Imani believes that she can achieve great things. At the end of the story, Imani does something amazing. You’ll have to read the story to know what that is. This is a well-told tale of believing in yourself.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated book has a folk tale feel, a small girl is teased by her peers by encouraged by her mother, who tells her a bedtime story based on their folklore. I especially adore the pictures featuring the moon and night sky. Author's note explains the Maasai inspiration for the story. The back cover is plain blue - a missed opportunity for more of Mitchell's lovely watercolors.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. Imani learned to persevere despite her small size and the other children's taunts. I really loved the African stories the mother tells to Imani including the stories of Olapa the Moon Goddess and Anansi the Spider. I enjoyed the history of the Maasai tribe as well in the author's note at the back of the book.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this new picture book! It speaks so gently and eloquently to the young reader. It gives children a story in which faith and determination are equally important in reaching one’s goals.

http://julianaleewriter.com/2014/10/2...

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! Captures kids attention and imagination. Being small. Overcoming adversity. Good background information on Masai rituals. Lots to talk about.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about a girl in Africa who dreams of touching the moon. the other kids tease her because she is so small but she believes and perseveres and is able to achieve her dreams.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely story about a young Maasai girl's imagination and determination.

[laura (bookies & cookies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about believing in yourself filled with cultural stories and mythology from the Maasi tribe in Kenya and Tanzania

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

An obvious but pleasant little didactic tale about not letting others define your limitations.

[Nathan Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wanted to learn about folklore from other cultures? This book is a fantastic place to start. This book is about a girl name Imani, the smallest child in her village. Imani gets inspired to touch the moon by her mother's nighttime stories. She goes around her village exclaiming that she will touch the moon day in and day out. Each time the children of the village tease and make fun of Imani for having such a ridiculous dream. One night, during a celebration, Imani becomes mesmerized by her village's warriors dancing the "Jumping Dance." They jumped so high that Imani decides that that is how she will get to the moon. Will Imani make it to the moon, or will she endless face the mockery from the village children? The major themes in the book were not to give up on your dreams, and to not tease others. This is shown through how Imani never gives up on reaching the moon regardless of teasing she receives. The main genre of this book is folklore, or traditional literature. Children reading this book could learn to persevere and work towards their goals as well as to not put others down regardless of their goals. This book was a WOW book for me because of the captivating story and the beautiful illustrations.
Some of the literary devices the author used in writing this book were onomatopoeia, and personification. When Imani fell out of the tree it described the sound as a loud thump. A few different animals talked to Imani and doubted her throughout the story. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because the characters throughout the story are portrayed as real humans with no racial undertones.

[Kendall Santoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imani is the smallest child in her African Massai village. Her stature often leads to teasing from others in her community who tell her she won’t be able to accomplish anything, which instills self-doubt in Imani. Her mother uplifts Imani through inspirational cultural stories, telling her about Olapa, the mood goddess, who successfully fought against the sun god. These stories inspire Imani, who decides she will touch the moon. Each attempt to touch the moon results in more obstacles and mockeries that discourage Imani. Her mother combats her self-doubt by sharing cultural stories about spiders and warriors, telling Imani that she must believe in herself. Eventually, Imani jumps and lands onto the moon, meeting Olapa. Olapa gifts her her own tiny moon, a symbol of her perseverance. That night, she shares with her mother her own inspirational tale, finally believing in herself. Brown-Wood’s story, rich in Massai culture, inspires children to never give up on their dreams. Teachers can use Brown-Woods book to introduce aspects of African cultures as well as instill confidence in their students

[Nick Westurn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the African Mythology that this book included, and the Constellations were beautiful. Overall, the book had a very fun story to follow and i was intrigued at the development as it went on. I hope someone finds this book and gets truely inspired.

[Payal Sachdeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about the folk tales of Kenya , about the Goddess of the moon , Olapa, and beautiful teachings by a mother to her daughter, as to never give up and believing in oneself is the first step to soar higher and higher in this world !

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical and imaginative with beautiful illustrations.

[Patricia Tilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

JaNay Brown-Wood’s heartwarming story is filled with hope, ambition and big dreams. Even though Imani is tiny, she is strong in spirit. She endures the teasing of the village children daily. But they don’t deter her. For Imani there are no limitations, only possibilities and dreams to touch the moon. This richly textured story is charming, magical and begs to be read repeatedly. Hazel Mitchell’s cover with Imani’s outstretched arms in front of the big moon is engaging and draws the reader into Imani’s story. Her vibrant watercolor and graphite artwork includes a lot of Maasai detail. The night scenes of Imani and the moon are dazzling and magical. Great collaborative work between the author and illustrator.

[Lisa Newhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imani is the littlest girl in the village. Everyone teases her about her size, but her mother believes she can do anything. When Imani doubts that she will succeed, her mother tells her that she believes in Imani. Imani wakes each morning more and more convinced that she will be able to touch the moon. Because her mother believes in her, Imani is finally able to touch the moon. She comes back with a lovely story to tell. This story about overcoming fear, believing in yourself, and reaching for your dreams is beautifully illustrated and well told. It will certainly inspire students to reach for the moon.