Puddle Moon

DESCRIPTION
A storybook for all ages, Puddle Moon celebrates the beauty of our childlike nature and reminds us to see the world through innocent eyes. A beautiful book about the spontaneous essence of love.

A little girl and her dog, Mumbles, slip out of the house on a rainy summer's night and venture into the wondrous world of the Puddle Moon. Making a grand splash, Megan and Mumbles, Inches (the mouse), and Fumbles (the cat) tumble and float with the moon and the clouds, the rainbow bird and the twinkling star and discover the secret of the Puddle Moon.

Puddle Moon includes an introduction by Astronaut David Scott, one of twelve men to walk on the moon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mari Gayatri Stein

ENDORSEMENTS

"From an educator's perspective, there are a number of teachable points in Mari Gayatri Stein's Puddle Moon, including encouraging visualization, repeating predictable language, and vocabulary development ("What do you think "glistening" means?). This is a great book to read on a cloudy day, when kids could go outside and look up, imagining shapes in the sky. Plus, you can do a lot by using the book as inspiration for creative writing: What would you like to see in a puddle? Would you visit the moon if you could?, etc. Puddle Moon is a book that offers many options for discussion: the teacher and the grandmother in me like that! " ~ Vivian Sherrill, Elementary School Teacher 

"Artist Mari Gayatri Stein has captured the magic of the moon on a warm, rainy night with her witty and whimsical illustrations of Megan and her best friend, Mumbles, the dog. Puddle Moon is charming and comforting, and the best bedtime story for children of all ages. This special book is a great reminder of the hope, solace, humor and enchantment that is in the everyday details of our lives. I want to add that I read Puddle Moon again and words do not do justice to its power and charm. I think it's the perfect story for these troubled and anxious times".   ~Sheila Burns, Co-Owner, Bloomsbury Books, Ashland, Oregon

"Puddle Moon is enchanted and delightful. What a feast for the imagination. From the child psychiatry standpoint, it is truly a breath of fresh air  imparting a view of possibilities. Stein's illustrations open the imagination in a way no electronic media ever could. The lessons about trust and friendship are invaluable and delivered in a deep and meaningful way. I would highly recommend this delightful storybook to any and all ages  a most welcome perspective with great wisdom". ~Jacqueline Amato, MD, Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Board Certified General psychiatrist

"Mari's whimsical drawings have graced the pages of our Buddhist journal for nearly two decades. This lovely book, and the delightful story it tells, offers gentle Dharma lessons to readers of all ages". ~ Alan Novidor, Publisher, Inquiring Mind

"Puddle Moon is a journey into enchantment that will inspire readers of all ages: from youngsters who yearn to be read to at bedtime, to retirees like me. As Megan and her intrepid animal companions venture into the realm of the imagination on a rainy night, they encounter the beauty of nature and find a way to merge with the universe. Mari Gayatri Stein's magical illustrations capture the adventure and the mystery of Megan's journey.  As a "hard-bitten" journalist with 21 years of experience at the Los Angeles Times, I fell easily under the spell of this parable of discovery. The story and the fabulous illustrations by Mari (the pink bunny slippers and the soulful dog Mumbles, for example) swept me away. I discovered along with Megan that the whole cosmos may be contained in a puddle reflection of the moon and stars."  ~Barbara Baird, writer for the Los Angeles Times, Professor of journalism, Santa Monica College