by Susan York Meyers -
Walter stared out the window and gazed up at his friend, that cheesy Man in the Moon. Walter waved. But no wink, no blink in return. Just a sad frown, a smile turned upside down.
Something was wrong with his friend, the cheesy Man in the Moon.
If his friend needed help, then Walter must go. So he grabbed a spoon from a kitchen drawer. One never knew when one would need a spoon. He slipped out the back door and ran through the tall, green grass.
He had to get up high, as high as he could climb. Walter sprinted past the oak tree. He scurried past the playground, its swings silent in the moonlight. The goldfish in the pond darted to and fro as he hurried by.
At the top of the hill, Walter stood among the low floating clouds. Their softness tickled, but he had no time to giggle. However, he did use his spoon to grab a nibble. The scoop of cloud tasted like the marshmallows his mom put in his cocoa.
No time to waste—Walter had to help his friend. He stood on his tiptoes then reached out and grabbed the edge of the cloud. He scrambled onto its fluffy lightness. Walter floated through the sky amid the twinkling stars.
But Walter soon realized the cloud drifted far too low to reach the moon. He spied a patch of star dust. Using his spoon like a paddle, he sailed toward the dusty trail.
Not too fast, Walter thought. I’ve got to time it just right...