Sun and Moon

Sun and Moon tells the story of how the Sun and Moon became the best of friends. For a long time Sun and Moon had only complaints against each. "When the Moon is out the flowers cannot grow," the Sun declared. "It's too hot when the Sun is out," said the Moon. On and on these discussions went until one day the Sun began to see the qualities of the Moon and the Moon began to see the benefits of the Sun. Soon after Sun and Moon became the best of friends. Sun and Moon is a based on a story invented by my daughter, Addie. It is a story about friendship and seeing the good is each other.

One day daughter Addie led me to a long piece of paper hanging on the wall that she had decorated with colorful drawings. Using her pictures, She told me the story of the sun and the moon. She explained that at first the sun and the moon did not like each other very much. Then one day, the moon noticed the sun helped the flowers grow and the sun noticed that the moon allowed people to see the stars. After that, the sun and the moon became best friends.I was so impressed and inspired by her story, I decided to make it the basis for my next children's book. Sun and Moon tells the story of the way the sun and the moon became friends. Just like in Addie's story, the sun and the moon don't like each other much at first. They spend the day and night complaining about each other. One day the sun notices the qualities of the moon, and the moon discovers the benefits of the sun. Once they learn to appreciate each other, they become the best of friends.While writing and illustrating Sun and Moon, I wanted to maintain Addie's original story idea and theme. I also tried to incorporate some of her personal style by designing the elements of the book to resemble the way she often rips paper into shapes and pastes it into place.

Sun and Moon is Book 1 of the Sun and Moon series of children's books, offering folktale like stories and rustic "rip and cut paper" style illustrations. This early reader series explores themes related to understanding yourself and interacting with others.

Author and illustrator Dominic Villari's books feature well-developed stories with heart and humor that appeal to kids and parents alike. These timeless tales will grow with you and your children through pre-reading, beginning reading and novice reading.

• Friendship
• Appreciating others

• 4 to 7 years
• Pre-K to Second Grade

• Moon and Stars - Self-worth
• Sun and Clouds - Making friends

The Moon spent much of its time alone.

This gave the Moon a lot of time to think about things.

The Moon wasn't sure it liked being the Moon anymore.

The Moon wondered about being something else.

The Moon thought it might like to travel around the galaxy like a comet.

The Moon always revolved around the Earth.

Or maybe the Moon could have many colors like the planets.

The Moon was very gray.

The Moon imagined it was fast, like a meteor.

The Moon drifted slowly through the sky.

Most of all, the Moon wanted to be bright like a star.

The Moon could only reflect the light of its friend the Sun.

Dominic Villari is well versed in the art and science of making stuff up and is often caught talking to things, especially when they don't work right or are difficult to put together. These pursuits occasionally spill out onto paper in illustrated children's books such as Sun and Moon, Bear is Hangry and The Yelling Monsters and fiction books such as The Wandering Princess and Talks to Things. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and daughter, both of whom have gotten better about knowing when he's making stuff up.