“O friend, o gracious moon, once more returns to mind
The turning of the year, when over this wooded knoll,
I came, full of pain, admiring thee:
And there you hung over that wood
And then, as now, everything bathed in light.”
To the moon – Giacomo Leopardi (translation by Michael Curtotti)
Since childhood, the moon has enchanted us, just as it enchanted Giacomo Leopardi. How many times have we stood there, fascinated, gazing at it, so ethereal, longing to touch it, but it seemed so close yet so far away, unreachable.
It’s the same for Monica, who one evening, illuminated by a beautiful full moon, wanted to grab the moon and play with it. But she couldn’t!
Translation: Viviana Reverso
Pages: 32 illustrations | EAN 13: 9788865321829
Recommended reading age: Ages 2-3
“Dad, will you please get me the moon?” Monica asks. The moon is so far away, but Monica’s dad doesn’t lose heart; he thinks and thinks, finding a solution.
Climbing to the moon is not easy, but you can climb a very long ladder located on a towering mountain until you reach the sky and touch the moon!
One starry night, he attempts the feat, but the moon is too big. Monica’s dad can’t carry it down. He has to wait for the moon to shrink. Only then will he be able to catch it!
Meanwhile, Monica discovers the phases of the moon: the large, round, bright full moon day after day becomes smaller and smaller until it becomes a thin crescent, then disappears, only to grow again.
The story is simple and delicate, unfolding before the reader’s eyes. The hardback book features surprising special effects: from small to large, the extendable pages open both upward and downward, including the center page. The illustrations by Eric Carle, who is both the author and illustrator, showcase his unmistakable style, lending the story a magical quality that captures the attention of young readers.
The ending is open and surprising, and we won’t reveal it here. However, the entire story speaks to us primarily about family relationships, affection, trust, and the unconditional love between a father and his child—a father who would do anything to make his children’s dreams come true, even if it meant reaching for the moon!
Credits
Maria Beatrice Lupi is a naturalist and an expert in training, sustainable development planning, participatory methodologies, and European planning. She is currently engaged in dissemination and education for sustainability.
Translated by Maria Antonietta Sessa
