A very spoiled child is given everything he could possibly want in the way of toys and screens – but he still wants more, and more. His exasperated parents ask what else he can possibly want – he wants the moon! Obviously, that is not possible. He grows up to be rich and powerful – but the want of the moon still lingers until he thinks he can get it for himself.
Disregarding everything except his own wants he starts to construct a mighty machine that will help him get the moon. To do this he destroys homes and schools in his way with no thought for the occupants. Eventually he gets to reach the moon but realises his neighbour from home (whom he fought with as a tiny child) is there too. Inevitably they fight over the moon – forcing it out of the sky until it crashes to the earth and cracks and breaks into thousands of pieces. Saddened people gather round – but it is a child who declares the moon can be fixed – with glue and tape. They all work together – including the two culprits – until they fix it and get it back in the sky – slightly different, but there as a reminder of what happens when you keep taking.
Preston-Gannon is an award-winning author and illustrator creating bright detailed illustrations that give a broad canvas to look at with detail galore.
A detailed and heart-warming story of what can happen when greed takes over – a parable for our times that we all need to heed.
Working late at his desk in his office one night, the man raised his head as the space filled with light. Moonbeams and memories flooded the room as did his longing of owning the moon . . .
An over-indulged little boy grows into a very wealthy man who has everything he could possibly want on Earth. There is only one thing left that he MUST have - the moon he coveted as a child.
Plans are drawn, machines built and factories sent spluttering into the air. Giant towers grow up and up and up. Soon the moon is nearly within the man's grasp - but someone else wants it too. Their tug of war ends in disaster when the moon shatters into a thousand pieces. It is up to the children to come to the rescue . . .
A richly-detailed and heartwarming story with an important message about greed, happiness - and where NOT to look for it.
Frann is a London based illustrator and designer who graduated from Kingston University in July 2010.
She has worked for clients such as Vintage books, Sunday Publishing and Burt's Bees. She is also the 2011 winner of the Maurice Sendak fellowship and the first UK illustrator to be honoured with the scholarship.
