Caldecott Medal Winner

Many Moons

by Louis Slobodkin

Summary

Princess Lenore falls ill and tells her father the king that she will only recover if she can have the moon, sending the royal court into a panic as wise advisers fail to deliver it. The court jester finally asks the princess herself how big and how far away the moon really is, and her childlike answer reveals the simple solution. James Thurber wrote the gentle tale while Louis Slobodkin illustrated it with loose, airy watercolors that give the kingdom a dreamy and lighthearted charm.

Historical Context & Significance

The story was written by the noted humorist James Thurber, with Slobodkin earning the medal for the illustrations.