Skip to content
ReadRead
Log inFree
+Add a childSwitch reader
Who’s reading?
Grown-ups overview
Invite friendsGive a giftRedeem

Back to all books
Half a Mooncake
Reading level 4 · First sentencesAges 3–5

Half a Mooncake

by ReadRead · 90 sec

Half for Grandpa! Half for Tao! A very first book about sharing: one short sentence on every page, and the picture always shows whole or half.

10pop-up spreads
24things to tap
2new words
Words in this book
wholehalfbackeveryonegrandpahooraylookmoon
Peek inside

Part of Family Shelf

Website price: $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, 7 days free. Every book, for every child.

About Family ShelfYou can also subscribe on iPhone or iPad. Confirm the App Store price shown in the app; it may vary by region.

Inside the book

It is Mid-Autumn night in the courtyard, under red lanterns and a whole round moon. Tao has a whole mooncake. Crack! Half for Grandpa, half for Tao. Yum! A white rabbit hops in, so Tao shares half of his half. A little dog runs in, and Grandpa shares half of his. Oh! A cloud hides half the moon, then drifts away, and the whole moon smiles at everyone.

Tao gives half of his mooncake to Grandpa under the Mid-Autumn moon in Half a Mooncake.
Tao gives half of his mooncake to Grandpa under the Mid-Autumn moon in Half a Mooncake.
Tao and Grandpa point up at the whole round moon over the courtyard.
Tao and Grandpa point up at the whole round moon over the courtyard.
Oh! A cloud hides half of the moon.
Oh! A cloud hides half of the moon.
Lanterns glow and the whole moon smiles at Tao, Grandpa, Rabbit and Dog.
Lanterns glow and the whole moon smiles at Tao, Grandpa, Rabbit and Dog.

The new words in this book

whole

All of it, in one round piece. It comes up 7 times, and every time the page shows something whole: the full round moon, the mooncake in Tao’s hands, the moon coming back from behind a cloud, and the fruit put back together.

half

One of two same pieces. It comes up 8 times: the mooncake breaks into two halves for Grandpa and Tao, a half is shared again with Rabbit and with Dog, a cloud hides half the moon, and the fruit on the play page opens into halves.

A starter book for children just beginning kindergarten. Each page has one short sentence (3 to 6 words) in one pattern: “Half for Grandpa!” / “Half for Tao.” / “Half for Rabbit.” Only one word changes, so a child can say the page with you by the third spread. Every other word is one a 4-year-old already knows, like moon, mooncake, grandpa, rabbit, dog and yum.

Questions to ask while you read

Pause after each spread and ask one question. There are no right answers; the point is to get your child talking.

  1. 1Look up! Is the moon round? Is it whole?
  2. 2What does Tao have in his hands?
  3. 3Tao breaks the mooncake. How many pieces are there now?
  4. 4Who has the other half? What does Tao say?
  5. 5Who hops in? What does Tao give Rabbit?
  6. 6Who says “Woof”? Who shares with Dog?
  7. 7Oh! Where did half of the moon go?
  8. 8Is the moon whole again? Cheer with everyone!
  9. 9Tap the fruit. Is it whole or half now?
  10. 10Who is the moon smiling at? Wave to Grandpa!

How hard is this book?

4
Reading level · KFirst sentences

About 50 words, one short sentence at a time, one pattern that repeats.

49words in all
26different words
4.5words per sentence
6longest sentence
More books at this level
Words a child can sound out, by phonics step
Step 1 · short a, i, o33%
Step 2 · all short vowels45%
Step 3 · blends65%
Step 4 · magic e, ee/ai82%
Step 5 · ar/or, oo/ou94%
Step 6 · longer words100%
Grammar in this book
  • Questions × 2Oh! Half a moon?
  • Commands × 2Hop! Half for Rabbit.
Words that may stop a reader
everyonehooraymooncakemoonorwoofround
All 22 words, most used first

half 8 · whole 7 · for 4 · moon 4 · a 3 · the 2 · at · back · everyone · has · hooray · hop · is · look · mooncake · oh · or · round · smiles · tap · woof · yum

Names don’t count: the picture shows who it is.

Tips for parents

  • First time: use Read to me and just enjoy the pictures together. It takes about a minute and a half.
  • Act the words: make a big round circle with your arms on “whole”, and bring one arm away on “half”.
  • Read it again and pause before the last word of each page, so your child can say “Grandpa”, “Rabbit” or “Dog”.
  • Share a real snack in half afterwards: “Half for you, half for me!”
Start reading