Kavi and the Moon Song

A hush-hush ride to the market where wishes glow.

21 pages · Ages 6-7 · EN

Kavi and the Moon Song

Cover illustration for Kavi and the Moon Song

Kavi and the Moon Song

For every child who has kept a little moonlit secret.

What's inside

The Whistle in the Garden Up the Starlight Rails The Song Before Sunrise

Only Kavi Hears It

Kavi listens at his bedroom window as a silver whistle curls through the curtains.

The round moon hung above Kavi’s garden, bright as a lamp. From somewhere beyond the roses came a soft, silver whistle. Kavi froze by his bedroom window. Downstairs, chairs scraped. Spoons clinked. Grown-ups said good night. Nobody else looked up. Then the whistle curled through the moonlit curtains again—woo-oo!—and Kavi knew it was calling him.

Grandma’s Missing Tune

Grandma pauses at the sink after forgetting part of her old song while Kavi listens.

Kavi hurried downstairs in his slippers. Grandma stood at the kitchen sink, washing the last teacup. She hummed her old moon song, low and sweet. Then her tune bumped into silence. “Oh, fiddle-dee,” Grandma said softly. “I remember the beginning, Kavi. But the next bit has wandered off.” Kavi watched the warm water swirl away. Grandma’s smile looked a little lonely. Outside, the silver whistle called once more.

The Marble in His Pocket

Kavi holds a green marble and decides to take it with him.

Back in his room, Kavi opened his marble tin. There it lay: his clear green marble. It had won every garden game that summer. Kavi rolled it across his palm. Moonlight flashed inside it like a tiny pond. “I don’t know where that whistle goes,” he whispered. “But I want Grandma’s song back.” He tucked the marble safely into his pocket. His knees felt wobbly. His heart felt ready.

Rails That Make Themselves

Kavi walks toward a blue train as glowing rails appear through the garden grass.

Kavi slipped into the garden. At the bottom, blue light blinked between the tall grass. A round-nosed black engine waited there, puffing little clouds. Deep-blue carriages gleamed behind it. Their windows shone like lanterns. Before Kavi’s eyes, shining rails stitched across the ground. One bright piece appeared, then another, all the way toward the hills. The train gave a cheerful toot. Kavi took one small step closer.

The Ticket Punch Clicks

The moon-moth conductor welcomes Kavi onto the train and asks what he will trade.

The carriage door opened with a polite whoosh. Inside, a tall moon-moth conductor bent toward Kavi. Cream wings folded behind a navy cap. A silver ticket punch rested in one hand. “Welcome aboard,” said the conductor. Click! went the punch. A small gray rabbit in a red scarf peeked over a velvet seat. Kavi climbed in, clutching his pocket. “And what,” asked the conductor, “have you come to trade at the Moon Market?” Kavi looked at his green marble.

Shhh-tk, Shhh-tk

Kavi looks from the Moon Train as it climbs shining rails over dark hills.

The Moon Train climbed above the sleeping hills. Shhh-tk, shhh-tk, sang its bright rails. Kavi held the clear green marble in his pocket. Below, his house became a tiny warm square. His tummy felt wobbly. His eyes felt huge. Fear and wonder were holding hands inside him. “Grandma’s song,” Kavi whispered. “I’m coming for it.”

Passengers of the Quiet Car

Kavi listens to a rabbit, a cloud-child, and a torn-tailed shadow in the quiet train car.

Inside the Quiet Car, nobody spoke loudly. A small gray rabbit hugged a jar full of silent giggles. A cloud-child cupped a tiny hope, glowing like a firefly. Under the seat, a fox-shaped shadow tucked its torn tail close. “What are you carrying?” Kavi asked. “Something that needs finding,” said the rabbit. Kavi squeezed his marble. He knew exactly what that meant.

The Moon Grows Near

Kavi presses his hands to the window as the cratered moon comes close and Earth shines behind.

At first, the moon was a coin in the window. Then it grew bigger than Grandma’s best soup bowl. Bigger than their whole garden. Pale dust covered its hills. Round dents dimpled its face. “Those dents are craters,” said the conductor. “Long ago, space rocks bumped the moon.” Kavi pressed both hands to the glass. Behind the train, Earth shone blue and green, small enough to fit inside a bedtime story.

Lanterns on the Crescent

Kavi steps onto the moon and sees glowing market stalls curved like a crescent.

With one soft puff, the Moon Train stopped. Kavi stepped onto pale, powdery ground. His slippers made little prints behind him. Ahead curved the Moon Market, bright as a birthday cake at midnight. Lantern stalls glowed in a crescent. Traders whispered over bottled echoes, folded dreams, and feathers that remembered flying. Kavi looked everywhere at once. Then he remembered why he had come.

Things Money Cannot Buy

Kavi walks past magical market treasures while holding tight to his marble and thinking of Grandma.

Kavi passed a stall selling silver shadows. They could dance without feet. He passed scarf-like dreams that curled around sleepy heads. He saw a spoonful of summer rain and a bell that rang only for lonely people. For a moment, he wanted everything. But his hand stayed around the marble in his pocket. “I need Grandma’s missing song,” he told himself. Somewhere beyond the glowing stalls, a faraway tune gave one small, waiting hum.

The Stall of Lost Songs

Kavi offers his green marble at a quiet stall hung with glowing moon shells.

At the market’s quietest corner, Kavi found a stall made of moon shells. Pearly shells swung beneath its awning. Each one held a sleeping tune. A gentle moon seller lifted one shell to listen. “Grandma’s song is missing,” Kavi said. “Can I find it here?” His green marble felt bright and heavy in his pocket.

Brave Things Are for Spending

Golden music swirls around Kavi as he gives away his green marble.

The seller opened the glowing shell. Out came Grandma’s tune, warm as toast and soft as a blanket. Kavi knew it at once. It curled around his ears, then tucked itself safely inside his heart. He placed the marble in the seller’s palm. Oh, he would miss its smooth green shine. But Grandma’s song mattered more. “Thank you,” Kavi whispered, with a wobbly smile. The seller bowed. “Carry it home before sunrise.”

Race the Pink Edge

The Moon Train speeds toward the pink dawn while Kavi carries the song home.

The Moon Train gave a cheerful toot. Kavi leaped aboard just as the first pink line touched Earth’s edge. “Hold tight!” called the moon-moth conductor. Brass wheels flashed. The train hurried down its starlight track, past sleepy clouds and blinking stars. Behind the last blue carriage, the shining rails melted away like chalk in rain. Kavi held the song close. He hummed one small piece. The rabbit in the red scarf hummed along. Soon, very soon, Grandma would hear it.

Breakfast Song

Grandma hums her whole song while Kavi smiles over breakfast.

Morning poured honey-gold light into Grandma’s kitchen. She stood by the pan, turning little round pancakes. Then Grandma began to hum. One note. Then another. The lost part came next, clear and sweet. Kavi nearly dropped his toast. “Grandma,” he said, grinning, “that’s your moon song!” Grandma’s amber glasses twinkled. “Why, it is!” She sang the whole song while the pancakes puffed and browned. Kavi hummed beside her. His marble was gone, but his secret glowed warmer than any treasure.

Check your wonder

New words

Where we looked

This story came straight from imagination, made especially for you.

The end

Goodbye, Kavi, Grandma, and the shining Moon Train. May Grandma’s moon song keep glowing in the kitchen. What loving, brave journey might you take next?

Browse more full books · Make your own