

Teacher’s Guide

Download this FREE Teacher Guide following the Common Core Standards, TESOL, and NGSS Standards for Taking Turns with hands on activities included in both English and Spanish.
Taking Turns / Tomando Turnos
Illustrated by: Gail M. Nelson
Published by: Star of the Sea Publishing
Sun and Moon have been together for a lifetime. Can they resolve their differences?
A whimsical tale written with a universal theme about restoring balance. Moon’s refusal to take turns with Sun to gain more attention not only impacts his friends, but affects our whole planet, Earth. Fun facts about Sun and Moon included in back matter.
Praise
“Marianne Blackstone Tabner’s picture book story, Taking Turns, is a clever and informative way to teach young readers the importance of sharing and caring and, yes, taking turns. I particularly love the illustrations – beautiful paintings depicting the sky, the Sun and the Moon, and life on Earth during the day and the night. At the end of the book, there is an interesting fact sheet on the Sun and the Moon.”
—Five-Star Review by Emily-Jane Hills Orford, Readers’ Favorite
“I highly recommend this book! I really like how the story integrates science facts about the moon, earth, daylight with social skills like kindness, sharing, taking turns and friendship in a smooth and coherent way.
The text of the book is organized into simple sentences and short paragraphs which are sufficient for the story that the book is telling. The relaxing effects of the colors of the paintings bring imagination to interact with the text. The text and paintings are combined together and have a dynamic interaction with each other.
Taking Turns book will attract children’s attention, help them expand their imagination and develop their understanding about science facts.”
—Noha Barrania, Early Childhood Consultant, Trainer & Curriculum Designer, Egypt.
“A perfect gift for children. I got this book today and I love it, I love everything about it…the story, the quality, and the illustrations are fabulous!!! Great gift for my grandchildren this Christmas. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!”
—Suzanne Genovese
“This is a delightful children’s book. The message of sharing and taking turns is what drew me to this book for my granddaughter. It’s a delightful little story about the Sun and the Moon fighting for attention…not unlike every child everywhere. In addition to the sweet story, the illustrations are lovely…A great Christmas gift!”
—Amy O’Malley
“This is a wonderful children’s book! I wound up buying this book for all my grandchildren. It is a wonderful little book and beautifully designed and illustrated. The messages are especially important in these critical times and I applaud the author for her insight and wisdom. I recommend this book for any grandparent or parent who wants to impart good values in a fun and entertaining way. Kudos to Ms. Tabner!”—Mark Scheier
“STEM + Kindness in one book = WIN. This story tells a terrific story about the sun and the moon and the roles they play in our universe, but more importantly … it also focuses on the theme of taking turns and acknowledging the importance of those around us. Fun Sun & Moon facts are included at the back of the book. I can see this book being used effectively with lower elementary classrooms.”
—Mary Boone
“Terrific find for children. Beautifully illustrated and written. What a great story and lesson for kids. This is a great find on Amazon! I will be ordering many for Christmas gifts. The author seems very dedicated to children’s literacy. I love that she is donating part of her proceeds to keep children reading! I am an experienced elementary school teacher , so I just love the teacher/parent guide and the science and language arts connections across the curriculum. Bravo Ms. Blackstone Tabner!”
—Michelle Supper
“Fabulous Book. I purchased this book as I was attracted by the title and the fact it was written by someone with a background with teaching children. The story is charming, beautifully told and leaves the reader and child with a touching message. One to be shared along our life’s paths. The illustrations are perfectly presented to compliment the story and images to convey the unfolding of the tale. I have bought multiple copies, not only for myself but as gifts to relatives and friends with small children that will enjoy this for years to come. Congratulations Marianne Blackstone Tabner sharing your storytelling gift with others and for your dedication to children’s’ literacy. We will be looking for more publications from you. Thank you.”
—Kathleen Peltier
“Cute story with great info. Cute story with fun language & awesome facts! The back matter is clever! Enjoyed the story!”
—Marci
“This is a beautiful book. We all want our children (and grandchildren) to know the value of taking turns. This book illustrates the advantages of taking turns beautifully by using the moon and sun. There is also a wonderful Q&A section in the back by the author. I highly recommend this book!”
—Kathryn A. Garcia
“Heartwarming Values and Illustrations. After the reviews, I wanted to see the book itself. Once I got it, I ordered 3 more as gifts to others!! I really like the underlying message that cooperation and understanding of one another’s views can lead to long-term enjoyment, fulfillment and happiness. In this day and age, this is a priceless lesson to instill in our children at a very early age. They won’t miss such an important message. The illustrations are excellent and the story-line is superb and well-targeted for the young audience. This is the sort of book one can read to a child and hold their attention. I hope this author writes MORE books like this!! We certainly need them!”
—Elona Kolpakova Hart
“Lovely picture book for children of all ages. Taking Turns is a fantastic book for all ages! My 4th grade class loves this book and the illustrations. It is a great lead into our science unit on the solar system. The author and illustrator did a wonderful job and also met with my class on Zoom for a Q&A! My students LOVED it!”
—J J Morgan
Teacher’s Guide

Download this FREE Teacher Guide following the Common Core Standards, TESOL, and NGSS Standards for Taking Turns with hands on activities included in both English and Spanish.



