Milo and the Moon’s Missing Pajamas
Bright Bloomer Bedtime Stories
Ages 3 to 5 · About 3 minutes
A funny space bedtime story for ages 3 to 5. Milo investigates the moon’s missing pajamas and discovers moon phases with Dad. Four colorful illustrations.
Milo was supposed to be choosing pajamas. Instead, he was holding a pair of spotty trousers against the window.
“Dad! The moon has lost most of itself!”
Outside hung a bright little crescent.
“Perhaps it needs pajamas to keep the missing bit warm,” Milo said.
He offered his trousers to the sky. They were much too short.
Dad peered through the window.
“Before we dress the moon, shall we investigate?”
Milo grabbed his toy telescope.
“Detective Milo is ready. But the suspect is very far away.”
Dad brought a white ball and a lamp to the table.
“The moon is still a whole ball,” he explained. “Sunlight lights one half. As the moon travels around Earth, we see different amounts of that bright half.”
He moved the ball slowly. Milo watched the bright patch change.
“So nobody took a moon bite?”
“No moon bite.”
“Not even an enormous space hamster?”
“Not even that.”
Milo considered this.
“A disappointing day for space hamsters. An excellent day for science.”
The moon did not need trousers after all. But Milo still had a fashion idea.
He drew the biggest pajama suit in the universe. It had star pockets, cloud slippers, and seventeen sleeves.
“Why seventeen?” Dad asked.
“In case the moon invites friends.”
They hung the picture beside the window.
A cloud drifted across the crescent like a fluffy scarf.
“Look!” Milo whispered. “The moon brought its own accessories.”
Dad laughed so hard that Milo had to remind him to use his indoor space voice.
At last, Milo chose his yellow star pajamas.
Two sleeves. Two trouser legs. A very sensible number.
Dad tucked him in and opened the curtains just enough to see the sky.
“The whole moon is there,” Milo murmured. “Even the part I cannot see tonight.”
“Exactly.”
Milo’s eyes grew heavy.
“If a space hamster visits,” he said, “tell it the pajamas are on the wall.”
Dad kissed his forehead.
Outside, the crescent shone. Inside, the smallest space detective in the house finally closed his eyes.
A little discovery for tomorrow
With a grownup, use a ball and a lamp to explore light and shadow. Which side of the ball is lit? Never point bright lights into anyone’s eyes.