Mooncake

Book by Frank Asch

Rewritten for ESL by Annette Burton

the 4 seasons

It was a hot night.

Bear sat down by the lake.

His friend Bird sat on Bear’s toe.

They sat under a tree.

They were looking at the moon.

Bird said, “I’m hungry.”

Bear said, “I’m hungry too.

I’m very hungry.

I’d like to take a bite of the moon.”

Bird said, “Maybe the moon tastes bad.”

Bear said, “I have an idea.”

He went in his house.

Bird went in too.

Bear got his bow and arrow.

He got some purple yarn.

He tied a spoon to the arrow.

Bird said, “What are you doing?”

Bear said, “You’ll see.”

Bear went outside.

He said, “I’m going to get a bite of the moon.”

He shot the spoon at the moon.

But the spoon fell in the lake.

“I knew that wouldn’t work,” said Bird.

The moon is too far away.

You need a rocket.”

Bear said, “Good idea.

I’ll make a rocket.”

Bear went to a junk yard.

He bought old stuff to make a rocket.

He took it all home.

All summer Bear and Bird worked.

Then fall came.

Leaves fell off the trees.

The rocket wasn’t finished.

Bird said, “I have to fly away.

It will be winter soon.

I have to go where it’s warmer.”

Bear and Bird said goodbye.

It got colder.

Bear got sleepy.

But he kept working.

He painted his rocket red.

At last the rocket was finished.

Bear got in the rocket.

He closed the door.

He began the count down.

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2… zzzzzz.”

Bear fell asleep after 2.

Bear slept and slept.

It began to snow.

The wind blew the rocket over.

That woke Bear up.

Bear looked out.

He saw snow.

He’d never seen snow before.

“I’m on the moon!” he said.

He got out of the rocket.

He took his spoon with him.

He took a candle too.

He put some snow in his spoon.

He made a little moon-cake.

It tasted okay.

But it was very cold.

Bear went for a walk.

He didn’t go far.

He walked in a big circle.

He didn’t want to get lost.

Soon he saw his paw prints in the snow.

Bear was scared.

He said, “Those are big paws!

Maybe it’s a moon bear!

Maybe it’s a moon monster!”

He ran back to the rocket.

He pushed the rocket ship up.

Then he got in it.

He began the count down.

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2… zzzzzz.”

Bear fell asleep after 2.

He slept and slept.

Soon it was spring.

One day, Bird flew back.

He woke Bear up.

“How was it down south?” said Bear.

“Fine,” said Bird.

“Did you go to the moon?”

Bear said, “Yes!”

“How did the moon taste?” said Bird.

“Did it taste bad?”

“No,” said Bear.

“It was as cold as ice cream!”