Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown Novels & Stories

Smith calming him down, I could imagine her picking him up. "Well, listen, grandma will give you two sweets if you sleep there.” I had no choice but to lie because I knew if they started to cry, I would be forced to go get them. “Really?” Grace sounded happy already. "Yes, really, right, mom?” “Yes, I will give you two sweets —a lot of sweets,” she played along. "Okay, I'm not crying anymore, but Mommy, can you read for us Goodnight Moon, please?” "Yes, Mommy, then we will sleep,” Clinton added.

According to her, it was a sign that the Moon mother favored Megan and her cubs. The labor was difficult and long. It took Megan three days to push out the cubs and in those three days, KuLaa, through her magic, made sure the Moon never stopped shining and when the cubs arrived, she made sure the sun didn't set for another seven days. She made mother and babies stay up in the sun, rain, and Moon for seven good days before allowing them to retire back to their room. On those seven days, several rituals were made, and the cubs were named. The male was called Amoux and the female was named Ainar.

I was going to miss Zero, but she left so that she could help me. Later that night, I couldn't sleep as my mind wandered. I went outside in the cool night air, feeling the weight of the day finally catching up to me. I was bone-tired, but something about the moonlight drew me out of my bed and into the open air. I watched as the soft light illuminated everything around me, casting everything in a pale blue hue. It was peaceful, serene even. But my solitude was interrupted by a visitor.

We were ready. The ball would start when daylight faded and twilight emerged. I peered in the mirror my ice blue eyes were alert and ready for trouble my hair ribboned down my back resting at my waist. Tonight would be my last in the pack. Vivian was slipping on cleanly polished boots before double checking her silver moon necklace around her neck. Out of habit I played with my own matching necklace my fingers looping around the intricate chain. Matching. A gift from our mother. “Well let’s do the best job we can and then skedaddle.” Vivian joked running a brush through her hair once more.

Running in heels isn't that difficult, I must say. I held a small box in my hand wrapped with some shiny paper and yellow ribbon on top, the birthday girl's favorite color. The only present that I could afford for her was this handmade pendant that was her name molded with metal wire, with a rose quartz shaped as a crescent Moon, fixed on the top of her name's last 'A'.

Bedtime. Usually, this was Aurora's domain. It was her sacred hour, the time when the CEO vanished and the "Maman" took over. She would read Goodnight Moon or The Little Prince, her voice a soft, rhythmic lullaby that chased away the dragons. But tonight, Liam stood in the doorway. He was wearing a simple gray t-shirt and sweatpants, his feet bare on the plush carpet. He held a book in his hand. Not a picture book. A chapter book.

Celeste I woke to the sound of Killian’s voice, low and steady, drifting in from the hallway. He was reading aloud. Not a contract. Not a financial report. He was reading Goodnight Moon to my belly. “…and a little toy house, and a young mouse, and a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush…” The words cracked on mush. He cleared his throat and kept going. I lay still, afraid to move, afraid to break the spell.

A crescent moon nestled in faintly clouded glass, with three tiny snowflake crystals dangling from the edge like frozen stars. She reached out, fingers hovering just above it, heart tightening. WinterMoon. Her home. Or… the home she left behind. The sound of the crowd softened behind her. The music faded. That charm—that moment—was WinterMoon. The night skies. The quiet hush of snowfall on the hills. The scent of pine and frost and something wild. It was the silence of the woods and the hum of belonging. Her throat tightened. The warmth she’d felt only moments ago didn’t vanish—but it dimmed. The edges of it curled in on themselves. She didn’t touch the charm. She didn’t have to. Just lookin

we chimed in. Bedtime stories wrapped us in a snug cocoon. "Read 'Goodnight Moon'!" Daniella requested. As we read, Damian snuggled close. "Love you three more than ice cream and pizza combined." "Love you, Mommy!" they chimed, sleepy voices fading. With my triplets tucked in, I exhaled. Me time. A warm bath, a book, or yoga? It's been long,Mama took care of herself. Memories of their tiny hands, goofy smiles, and milestones flooded me.

This way, they would have a chance to get to whoever was following us. It was sunrise already and I had already headed out with Valeria. Nobody could sleep a wink last night. Even though our species were nocturnal, we were exhausted enough to sleep last night. But we did not , we couldn't. All the way to the mountains, Valeria was silent, and I did not want to bother her by trying to force a conversation so I let her be. But she seemed really worried. And I wished I could do something about it, I wished she would let me do something about it.