Who Tells the Moon to Sleep?
4.5/5
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About this ebook
Picture book for ages 8 and up.
Having learned from Mama that the world is filled with things that do what they please like the moon and the cat, eight-year-old Tess wonders why she and Mama are constantly told what to do. They are told when to play, when to eat, and even when to sleep. Mama gently explains that they are slaves and are told what to do because they are owned by the couple in the big house whose fields they work. But Tess realizes that a person can never truly be owned. The master cannot control her mind or her heart.
This is a tender story that tells of the heartbreak of slavery and one little girl’s powerful plea for freedom.
Haley Whitehall
Haley was telling stories before she could write. When she was four, she woke her parents up to write down her burning ideas. Growing up on John Wayne movies and the Little House on the Prairie books, she has always loved historical fiction. For ten years Haley developed her writing craft and voice by studying authors such as Avi, Ann Rinaldi, and Mark Twain to name a few. She received her B.A in history through Central Washington University. During all her research, her soul was pulled deeper in the 19th century U.S. Using her words to transport people back in time continues to give her a thrill. Sometimes she wishes she could escape the present and float down the Mississippi River on a raft. But then again, just writing another historical fiction novel is a much safer journey. You can visit her at HaleyWhitehall.com
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Reviews for Who Tells the Moon to Sleep?
19 ratings12 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Just read the heartbreaking picture/story Who Tells the Moon to Sleep? by Haley Whitehall . It will be a fantastic, tender-hearted book to share with my grandchildren about the days of slavery, and the children then. What the life was like for the slave children. Tess questions why her and Mama are told when to do everything, even play or eat or sleep, but other things in life aren't. She comes to realize that they can never completely be owned as no one, not even Master Embry can own their heart or mind. There are beautiful illustrations by Bill Pilgrim to go along with story.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who Tells the Moon to Sleep? is a very well written book. My kids are 1 and 3 though and I didn't realize how many questions it would bring up with my oldest. I would make sure you are ready to explain slavery to your kids before reading this to them. It did a great job of telling the story though and it is a book that we will read over and over again!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was a great book and it was truly inspiring. I think that everyone, no matter what age, will get the message that is in this book. I'd recommend this book for everyone.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nice short children's book about slavery, with lovely illustrations.I think the book does a very good job at explaining slavery in a way that is comprehensible to children and tackles the issue in a way that is not too serious or traumatizing, but still conveys that slavery was a terrible thing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Who Tells the Moon to Sleep? By Haley Whitehall. Is a must read and have along with any childrens books. We only discuss slavery in school or in the month of Feb. How aften do we really talk to our children about slavery? This book can be read at any time. The story is written so it can be read at a young age with picture to help explain what is going on in the story. I read to my children often and would have loved to have read "Who Tells the Moon to Sleep? to them. I will recommend this book to many mothers and give as gifts to mothers to be.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a well written children's book that explains slavery in a way they can understand. As an adult I found it an enjoyable read. When I read it to a friends grandson, he asked me to read it again....and again. Now he is asking his mom to buy a copy so he an read it whenever he wants.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who Tell's The Moon To Sleep? is a wonderful children's book. It portrays slavery in a way that is easily understood by young children without becoming graphic. It is told by a young girl who is very realistic, and easy to relate to. This would be a wonderful book to read both in and out of the classroom. I highly recommend this book for any and all children, and it is a great way to start a discussion about slavery.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful book, eloquent & sad a voice to the silent.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this book very much. It reminded me of my childhood but the stories then told were not half as good as this one. And the subject of slavery in this time is quite interesting. It is a story well told, with a great message , good illustrated and I loved the caracters in the book very much.Thanks for this great experience.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Who Tells The Moon to Sleep? Written by Haley Whitehall, this book is a fictional portrayal of a little girl who lived as a slave on a tobacco farm. The story is told from the child’s perspective as she begins to notice that not everyone is treated the same. Sad and thought provoking, this is an excellent read-a-loud book for early readers. The book is also suitable as a resource in the classroom to support discussions about slavery and treating others equally.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I received this book free to read and review from Library Thing. This is an excellent book about slavery. In the story, a little girl asks her mother several times about why things are as they are, why certain things do things. Finally, the girl realizes they do the things they do because they can make decisions and are free—and decides she also will one day be free to decide herself. The book is simple enough for a young child to read or understand when it is read to him/her, yet has enough wisdom and common sense to make it very worthwhile. I liked the fact that it is simple yet still profound in the deepest sense. Parents looking for a good book to read with their children that will teach as well as entertain should read this book. It does both and does both extremely well.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a very touching short story about slavery through the eyes of a child. There are some parts that are especially heartbreaking when told by a small child. The illustrations are also pretty to look at. Even as an adult, I enjoyed the story, but I think that children would get a good lesson out of it as well.
Book preview
Who Tells the Moon to Sleep? - Haley Whitehall
Who Tells the Moon to Sleep?
By Haley Whitehall
Illustrated by Bill Pilgrim
Published by Expanding Horizons Press
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2013 Haley Whitehall
Cover Art Copyright © 2013 Bill Pilgrim
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entire coincidental.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Start Reading
A Note about the Story
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Copyright
One Last Thing
Dedication
Author
To my kindergarten and first grade teacher Marcia Ramsey for encouraging me to write and for her continued support as I’ve pursued