The Magical Moonballs

This is a wonderful bedtime story. This is the 2nd copy of this book I've purchased. It's one of my grandkids favorite books!

One overcast night, as the melancholy man in the moon floated about in the heavens, his nose felt a tickle, which led to a sneeze. Suddenly, "With sparkling colors the clouds burst away, into magical moonballs who wanted to play. They tumbled in teams, full of frolicking fun, for their mystical journey had now just begun." What follows is a flurry of excitement and cheer, as a trail of a million playful moonballs flood into an ordinary, sleeping home. What I like best about the book is this intersection of the extraordinary with the ordinary and all that follows from it. With a hop, skip, and a jump, the moons stir up the whole house. While they whirl and whiz from one room to the next, they spread their smiles and laughter, perking up everyone in their path. They even teach some familiar domestic items including a lamp, three vases, a grandfather clock, and a cookie jar that happiness is the gift that keeps on giving. The author sums up the story's lesson in its final lines: "When you notice sad faces and see what they lack, send a smile their way - it's the gift that comes back. And maybe it won't (there are no guarantees), but it could be contagious, you know...like a sneeze." Meanwhile, what my daughter likes best about the book is its rhythmic rhyming sound, and the endlessly interesting opportunity to search for a little mouse ensconced in an unexpected spot on each page. So I guess there's something in it for everyone...

My favorite baby gift to give that will become one of a child's favorite books. When the lonely moon "sneezes" a zillion smiling moonballs, he (and children reading this book) learn that the only thing contagious from this sneeze is a smile. Children learn (and adults are reminded) that a smile shared takes little effort, the rewards are plenty, multiply quickly and return to the giver. I particularly enjoy watching children look for and find the little mouse that is tucked away somewhere on every page, witnessing the changing attitude of the household items when the moonlets dance through the house. Beautiful illustrations; great rhythmic writing.