Fun and colourful celebration of World Book Day! Beautiful illustrations that will make you smile.... It then became came clear that the story was about Finn’s issues which are suddenly resolved, a tad unrealistic, in my experience of children who behave this way, as they take time to trust others and let them in to develop a friendship. I love the idea that we can talk to children and they will be ready to open up and create friendships and connections with others, but in my experience that doesn’t happen right away. I do really like how when Finn misbehaves, he is met with understanding and empathy by the teacher and Luna's mum, which is wonderful to see in a children’s book. Luna and Finn slowly become friends as they connect through their shared love of art. On a field trip to the art gallery, Luna sees a classmate called Finn doing things like not engaging with the other children, scrunching up Luna's drawing or not answering when you talk to him. Luna is guided by her Mum that Finn just needs a friend. There are hints in the story that Finn's family life isn't a happy one. Luna shows Finn kindness and friendship, and by the end Finn and Luna are friendlier and happy.

An important topic to talk about since children are bound to come across some classmates who have unfriendly behaviour at some stage, and it's valuable to help them understand why this can happen. Although this book is called "Luna Loves Art", I'd say the main theme of this book is not art, but rather the theme is about opening up a conversation about difficult-to-understand children in the class, who may behave in ways that seem mean or unfriendly. There are hints about Luna's parents being separated as she is dropped off at school by her dad and here mum is already there as a parent helper. Later we learn that a boy called Finn in Luna's class is having a hard time at home. We discover this through his interpretation of the art on display. Today is all about books, and Luna has the whole day planned... Dress up as her favourite book character: a unicorn! Meet an author and an illustrator. Buy a new book. But - disaster! - Luna the Unicorn's costume has ripped! Can Dad come to the rescue with some special book magic? Overall it is still a lovely book and one I’m sure many children will love to look at again and again and it does still show Luna doing the right thing in being nice to Finn, even if the story isn’t quite what I expected or perfect to me.

About Joseph Coelho

Luna Loves Art is a young children’s picture book about a little girl called Luna who visiting an art gallery on a school trip. The class sees a lot of exhibitions, some they can only look at, others they can touch. Children experience strong emotions and Lucy and Finn discover how to overcome their disagreements and forge a friendship. Dads can be funny, loving and the best playmates. They are also often the sole care-giver, at least some of the time. Here’s a selection of fantastic picture books that feature a father and child having adventures together. Perfect for sharing with little ones. A beautifully illustrated, uplifting story. A warm and lovely book about family, community and the importance of libraries. It is obvious that Finn is struggling. He roars at the tiger in a painting and says that the tiger is scared and alone and needs a home. He sees a sculpture of a family and he says “families don’t look like that.” Fortunately, Lucy finds a way to forgive, understand, and reach out to Finn who really needs a friend.

Luna’s class sees a lot of the exhibitions, some they can only look at, others they can touch. This children’s picture book is adorned with superb illustrations, especially those showcasing the artwork of other artists at the gallery. From the talented poet Joseph Coelho, this charming picture book highlights the wonders of libraries for families and communities. Accompanying the poetic text is gloriously bright and delightful illustrations to bring the magic of the library to life. Did you enjoy Luna and Finn’s school trip to the gallery? Try these activities based on the story. Print out the pictures for your child and let them colour them in. LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. In this story we see Luna going on a school trip to an Art Gallery. However, she notices that Finn is all by himself and when she tries to involve him in the activities, he's not very nice and screws up her drawing. Why is Finn so sad? And can Luna do anything to help him?His work has poetry and performance at its heart, drawing on over 16 years' experience running dynamic creative literacy sessions in schools. He aims to inspire young people through stories and characters they can recognise. Well done on finishing "Luna Loves Art" by Joseph Coelho! The story teaches us that art can be a window into understanding different perspectives and expressing our feelings.