I Touched the Moon!: Stories and Crafts for Kids

Dosi Cotroneo is a freelance writer living in Manotick, Ontario.

What do you get when you mix five folk tales, fairy tales, and legends
from around the world with excellent illustrations and step-by-step
instructions for crafts that accompany each story? You get a whole lot
of fun for kids and parents! Creating characters and props from simple
household items, such as toilet paper rolls, buttons, and sponges, is a
great way to bring the stories to life.

“I Touched the Moon!”: When a spoiled prince wants to touch the
moon, he calls on the palace magician to help. The magician builds a
huge ladder, a rainbow, and a pair of wings, but the prince doesn’t
like any of them. He suggests that the magician bring the moon down to
him. A little girl skipping outside the prince’s window overhears his
plight, and shows the prince how the moon is already down here. The
moon’s reflection was glittering in a pond nearby. The prince and the
little girl touch the moon in the water with their fingers. Now the
prince wants to learn how to skip too. Young girls will especially enjoy
this story.

“Tug-of-War”: After a little turtle is told that he is not allowed
to swim in a river that the hippo says is his and the elephant says is
his, he takes matters into his own hands to prove a point. He challenges
them to a tug of war—against each other. Whoever wins will own the
river. The interesting part is that the hippo and the elephant don’t
know they are tugging against each other from opposite sides of the
river. This ingenious little turtle successfully solves his problem and
is kind enough to share the river with them. Great lessons in
problem-solving and sharing.

“The Golden Goose” is a funny tale about an unhappy princess who
finally laughs when she sees the woodcutter, baker, and blacksmith stuck
to a golden goose! All are happy in the end.

“My Messy Parents” is a hilarious story that kids and parents alike
will enjoy. Nadya is very tidy, but Mom and Dad are not. It seems they
are either too busy or too tired to clean house. When they finally
decide to go on a cleaning frenzy, Nadya finds herself snapped inside of
Mom’s briefcase. She soon discovers all kinds of things she’s been
looking for—even her baby brother Max!

“The Mouse and the Elephant,” about a little brown mouse out to
prove that he is the most brave, fierce creature in the world, is a
terrific tale demonstrating the power of belief. Highly recommended.