Fifth book published in “Learning with Luni” series

ROCKINGHAM — Robert Gould, a Rockingham municipal worker, just released his fifth book in the “Learning with Luni” children’s book series.

The first book in the series was released in May of last year, “Luni and the Animal Alphabet.” His most recent book help’s kids learn the basics of multiplication and division. It’s titled “LUNIQUATIONS: The Fundamentals of Algebra.” It was published this week.

“I mainly try to do a lot of research on what kids are struggling with and build the book around that,” Gould, who also does all of the illustrations, said.

All of the books are inspired by the legacy of Gould’s grandmother, Dorothy Newton. Gould as an avid reader as a kid, but never imagined that would be writing books.

“A few years ago, I had the idea of creating one,” Gould shared with the Daily Journal last May. “I never really went into it with work and not having time because I work a second job at the school.”

Other books in the series have taught children about numbers, different shapes and telling the time. The books are geared toward pre-K to second grade students.

“Some grandparents shared with me that as soon as their grandkids come to their house, [the kids] grab ‘Learning with Luni’ and want us to read it to them,” Gould said.

Gould, who self-publishes the books through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing,, said he has a goal of seven books in the “Luni” series, but also wants to try a new series.

In December, Gould did a book signing and reading at the “Christmas on the Square” event in downtown Rockingham. He read “The Secret Helper” (his first non-Luni book), which follows a young toy at Santa’s factory who gets bullied and runs away, but has to make it back to Santa with the help of a new friend.

To get a copy of one of his books, Gould can be contacted at 910-883-3100 or at robertgould108@gmail.com. They are available through Amazon.

There is also a “Learning with Luni” YouTube channel, LUNI TV, that has racked up tens of thousands of views. Videos include the importance of consonants, the four seasons of the year and an Old MacDonald kids sing-along and dance.